Objective To analyze the differences in cholesterol metabolism between male Japanese white rabbits with black eyes and Japanese white rabbits from the perspective of intestinal flora.
Methods Six male WHBE rabbits and Japanese big-ear white (JW) rabbits, aged 4-5 months, were selected, blood was collected to detect blood lipid levels, and the colonic contents were extracted for DNA extraction and 16S rRNA microbial sequencing. Changes in functionality.
Results The serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels of male WHBE rabbits were significantly lower than those of JW rabbits (P<0.05). Diversity analysis showed that the gut microbiota of the two strains of rabbits were clearly separated, and the Chao1 index of WHBE rabbits was significantly lower than that of JW rabbits (P<0.05). At the phylum level, the abundances of Fusobacterium, Softwall, and Cyanobacteria in WHBE were lower than those in JW rabbits (P<0.05, P<0.01), and="" the="" ratio="" of="" bacteroidetes="" was="" also="" lower.="" lower="" than="" that="" jw="" rabbits="" p="">0.05). At the genus level, the relative abundance of 24 genera in WHBE rabbits was significantly different from that in JW rabbits (P<0.05, P<0.01). LEFSe analysis showed that 5 key genera were found in WHBE rabbits, with Rikenellaceae RC9 group (Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group) being the most; 10 key genera were found in JW rabbits, with Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014 being the most. PICRUSt function prediction showed that there were significant differences in arachidonic acid metabolism and ether lipid metabolism pathways in the intestinal flora of the two strains of rabbits (P<0.05, P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed that TC and LDL-C levels were significantly associated with Brevundimonas, Ileibacterium, Fusobacterium, Ralstonia, Mollicutes_RF39_unclassified There was a positive correlation with Coriobacteriaceae_unclassified, Anaerovorax, Clostridium, DTU014_unclassified, Barnesiellaceae_unclassified, Ruminococcaceae_UCG_009, Clostridiales_vadinBB60_group_unclassified.
Conclusion The differences in cholesterol metabolism between male WHBE rabbits and JW rabbits are related to the differences in the structure and function of the host's gut microbiota, among which the arachidonic acid metabolism and ether lipid metabolism pathways in the intestinal microbiota are particularly critical.