THE EFFECT OF PRETREATMENT WITH ENDOTOXIN AND LACTOBACILLUS ON BACTERIAL TRANSLOCATION IN ACUTE LIVER-INJURY

Objective: To evaluate the effect of pretreatment with endotoxin or La ctobacillus reuteri pretreatment on bacterial translocation after acut e liver injury. Design: Experimental study. Setting: University depart ment, Sweden. Subjects: 96 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of 24 each. Three of them received intraperitoneal D-galactosam ine, the fourth received pyrogen free water and was used as the normal control. Twenty-four hours later the study was terminated and samples collected. Interventions: Endotoxin and L reuteri R2LC were injected intraperitoneally three days, one week, and two weeks before induction of liver injury. Main outcome measures: Extent of liver injury and ba cterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, and systemic b lood. Results: The extent of liver injury and rate of bacterial transl ocation were lower three days after pretreatment with endotoxin, than after pretreatment with L reuteri. There was no other difference among the other groups. High concentrations of serum endotoxin were detecte d three days after pretreatment with endotoxin. There were no signific ant changes in small intestinal and caecal bacterial counts. Conclusio n: Pretreatment with endotoxin effectively prevented liver injury by D -galactosamine and subsequent bacterial translocation. Pretreatment wi th L reuteri had no beneficial effect.