Intestinal flora is involved in Hyperuricemia

Hyperuricemia is a necessary physiological factor leading to gout. Although intestinal flora is different between healthy and patients with hyperuricemia, their causality is unclear. This study explored the association between intestinal flora and hyperuricemia in goslings. The hyperuricemia model was established in gosling by a high protein diet (HPD). 16S sequencing showed that the cecal microbiota differed significantly between the HPD and control groups (fed with the normal protein). The abundance of Firmicutes was higher in the HPD group, while the Bacteroidetes were lower than controls. To investigate the role of intestinal flora in hyperuricemia, the cecum microbiotas from the HPD group and the control group were transplanted to the newly born goslings by gavage. The serum uric acid levels of the goslings that transplanted the cecal microbiota of the HPD group were significantly higher than the goslings that transplanted the cecal microbiota of the controls. Furthermore, the transplantation of cecal microbiota also affects the production and excretion of uric acid in goslings. These results showed that intestinal flora was involved in hyperuricemia. The intestinal flora might serve as a new target for hyperuricemia and gout therapeutic approaches.