Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2023 January, 259(1)

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Alleviated Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Obese Rats

Tao Xie,^1,2 Rui Yang,¹ Xianxian Zhang,^1,3 Xiaozhu Shen,¹ Liqiang Yu,¹ Juan Liao,¹ Tianhao Bao^4,5 and Qi Fang¹

¹Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
²Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
³Department of Neurology, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, China
⁴Neurobiological laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
⁵Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Mental Health Center of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China

This study aimed to investigate whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) provides protection for stroke injury in obese patients. Rats were fed high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 weeks and subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). After FMT for 30 days, body weight, serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, neurological score, brain water content, and cerebral infarction volume were measured. Brain reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were detected and the levels of Bcl-2, Bax and cleaved caspase-3 were examined. Rats fed with HFD had higher body weight and higher serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Neurological score was lower, brain water content and cerebral infarction volume were higher in obese rats following MCAO, but FMT improved neurological deficit. Moreover, oxidative stress was enhanced in obese rats following MCAO, but FMT attenuated oxidative stress. Brain Bcl-2 level was lower while Bax and cleaved caspase-3 levels were higher in obese rats following MCAO, but FMT increased brain Bcl-2 level and decreased Bax and cleaved caspase-3 levels. In conclusion, FMT attenuated cerebral ischemic injury in obese rats and the beneficial effects of FMT may be mediated by the attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis in the brain.

Keywords —— apoptosis; fecal microbiota transplantation; ischemic stroke; obesity; oxidative stress

© 2022 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med 2023, 259, 49-55.

Correspondence: Tianhao Bao, Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Mental Health Center of Kunming Medical University, No. 733, Chuanjin Road, Panlong District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, Kunming 650224, China.

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