Gut dysbiosis in experimental cholestasis by bile duct ligation: systematic review in rodents
Bile duct ligation consistently induces gut dysbiosis in rodents, with reduced alpha diversity and recurrent taxonomic shifts across 22 eligible studies.
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What the study showed
The review identified a reproducible post-BDL dysbiosis pattern: decreased alpha diversity in most studies, shifts in Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria, and increases in Prevotella, Enterococcus, and Escherichia coli. Lactobacillus tended to decrease. Findings reinforce the gut-liver axis role in cholestasis pathogenesis.
How it was done
PRISMA-guided systematic review searching PubMed, Scopus, and Embase (Jan/2020–Feb/2025); 22 original studies in BDL rats and mice without therapeutic intervention, using 16S rRNA sequencing (majority) or shotgun metagenomics.
Risk of bias
Qualitative synthesis without quantitative meta-analysis precludes effect-size estimates. Heterogeneity in BDL protocols, animal species, sampling time points, and sequencing methods limits direct comparisons.
What this study does NOT prove
Causality between the identified microbial alterations and cholestatic disease progression in humans cannot be concluded.
In clinical practice
Preclinical rodent data do not directly translate to clinical management of human cholestasis. The review maps hypotheses for future translational research.
Limitations
Qualitative synthesis without quantitative meta-analysis precludes effect-size estimates. Heterogeneity in BDL protocols, animal species, sampling time points, and sequencing methods limits direct comparisons.
Technical appendix
Version history
- 1.0 · 2026-08-03 — Auto-generated under Evidence Standard v1.0
Paid access: structured summary from public metadata; consult the original study at the source.