NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes · 9 authors, 3 centres
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This preclinical study found that a specific microRNA (hsa-miR-7704) enriched in the faeces of patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) inhibits the beneficial gut bacterium Bifidobacterium longum in a mouse model, which worsens neuroinflammation and ammonia-related toxicity.
They found hsa-miR-7704 was enriched in faeces from HE patients and, when transferred to mice via faecal microbiota transplantation, it aggravated neuroinflammation and hyperammonaemia. In mice, supplementation with B. longum or acetate alleviated HE markers. Limitations include the small human sample size, the inability to use a miRNA antagonist in the mouse model due to species differences, and inadequate assessment of neuropsychiatric performance. The study suggests a mechanism where a human-derived faecal microRNA shapes the gut microbiome to influence HE progression in a preclinical setting.
