Inhibition of vibrio anguillarum by Pseudomonas fluorescens AH2, a possible probiotic treatment of fish.
(1/1690)
To study the possible use of probiotics in fish farming, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antagonism of antibacterial strain Pseudomonas fluorescens strain AH2 against the fish-pathogenic bacterium Vibrio anguillarum. As iron is important in virulence and bacterial interactions, the effect of P. fluorescens AH2 was studied under iron-rich and iron-limited conditions. Sterile-filtered culture supernatants from iron-limited P. fluorescens AH2 inhibited the growth of V. anguillarum, whereas sterile-filtered supernatants from iron-replete cultures of P. fluorescens AH2 did not. P. fluorescens AH2 inhibited the growth of V. anguillarum during coculture, independently of the iron concentration, when the initial count of the antagonist was 100 to 1, 000 times greater that of the fish pathogen. These in vitro results were successfully repeated in vivo. A probiotic effect in vivo was tested by exposing rainbow trout (Oncorynchus mykiss Walbaum) to P. fluorescens AH2 at a density of 10(5) CFU/ml for 5 days before a challenge with V. anguillarum at 10(4) to 10(5) CFU/ml for 1 h. Some fish were also exposed to P. fluorescens AH2 at 10(7) CFU/ml during the 1-h infection. The combined probiotic treatment resulted in a 46% reduction of calculated accumulated mortality; accumulated mortality was 25% after 7 days at 12 degrees C in the probiotic-treated fish, whereas mortality was 47% in fish not treated with the probiont. (+info)
Probiotics inhibit enteropathogenic E. coli adherence in vitro by inducing intestinal mucin gene expression.
(2/1690)
Probiotic agents, live microorganisms with beneficial effects for the host, may offer an alternative to conventional antimicrobials in the treatment and prevention of enteric infections. The probiotic agents Lactobacillus plantarum 299v and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG quantitatively inhibited the adherence of an attaching and effacing pathogenic Escherichia coli to HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells but did not inhibit adherence to nonintestinal HEp-2 cells. HT-29 cells were grown under conditions that induced high levels of either MUC2 or MUC3 mRNA, but HEp-2 cells expressed only minimal levels of MUC2 and no MUC3 mRNA. Media enriched for MUC2 and MUC3 mucin were added exogenously to binding assays and were shown to be capable of inhibiting enteropathogen adherence to HEp-2 cells. Incubation of L. plantarum 299v with HT-29 cells increased MUC2 and MUC3 mRNA expression levels. From these in vitro studies, we propose the hypothesis that the ability of probiotic agents to inhibit adherence of attaching and effacing organisms to intestinal epithelial cells is mediated through their ability to increase expression of MUC2 and MUC3 intestinal mucins. (+info)
Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics: approaches for modulating the microbial ecology of the gut.
(3/1690)
The microbiota of the human large intestine influences health and well-being. Whereas it has long been accepted that gut bacteria play a role in host pathogenesis, current opinion is that certain microflora components can have beneficial effects on gastroenteritis resistance, blood lipids, antitumor properties, lactose tolerance, and gastrointestinal immunity. It is postulated that in the infant gut an elevated bifidobacterial count may be associated with health advantages that breast-fed infants may have over formula-fed infants. Whereas beneficial aspects of the human gut flora still need definitive confirmation and mechanistic explanations, there is now interest in modulating the composition of gut flora such that a potentially more remedial community exists. This may be achieved through the targeted use of dietary supplementation. This article provides an overview of how probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics may contribute toward nutritional modulation of the gut microecology, with emphasis on the neonatal intestine where appropriate. The use of modern molecular methods, as an essential step forward for assessing the validity and accuracy of the modulatory approach, is also discussed. (+info)
Dietary modulation of the human gut microflora using the prebiotics oligofructose and inulin.
(4/1690)
Although largely unproven in humans, better resistance to pathogens, reduction in blood lipids, antitumor properties, hormonal regulation and immune stimulation may all be possible through gut microflora manipulation. One approach advocates the oral intake of live microorganisms (probiotics). Although the probiotic approach has been extensively used and advocated, survivability/viability after ingestion is difficult to guarantee and almost impossible to prove. The prebiotic concept dictates that non viable dietary components fortify certain components of the intestinal flora (e.g., bifidobacteria, lactobacilli). This concept has the advantage that survival of the ingested ingredient through the upper gastrointestinal tract is not a prerequisite because it is indigenous bacterial genera that are targeted. The feeding of oligofructose and inulin to human volunteers alters the gut flora composition in favor of bifidobacteria, a purportedly beneficial genus. Future human studies that exploit the use of modern molecular-based detection methods for bacteria will determine the efficacy of prebiotics. It may be possible to address prophylactically certain gastrointestinal complaints through the selective targeting of gut bacteria. (+info)
Possible mechanisms by which pro- and prebiotics influence colon carcinogenesis and tumor growth.
(5/1690)
Oligofructose and inulin, selective fermentable chicory fructans, have been shown to stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria, which are regarded as beneficial strains in the colon. Studies were designed to evaluate inulin (Raftiline) and oligofructose (Raftilose) for their potential inhibitory properties against the development of colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rats. ACF are putative preneoplastic lesions from which adenomas and carcinomas may develop in the colon. The results of this study indicate that dietary administration of oligofructose and inulin inhibits the development of ACF in the colon, suggesting the potential colon tumor inhibitory properties of chicory fructans. The degree of ACF inhibition was more pronounced in animals given inulin than in those fed oligofructose. Because these prebiotics selectively stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activities, ras-p21 ontoprotein expressions and tumor inhibitory activity of lyophilized cultures of Bifidobacterium longum against chemically induced colon and mammary carcinogenesis and against colonic tumor cell proliferation were examined. Dietary administration of lyophilized cultures of B. longum strongly suppressed colon and mammary tumor development and tumor burden. Inhibition of colon carcinogenesis was associated with a decrease in colonic mucosal cell proliferation and activities of colonic mucosal and tumor ornithine decarboxylase and ras-p21. Human clinical trials are likely to broaden our insight into the importance of the pre- and probiotics in health and disease. (+info)
The effect of synbiotics on colon carcinogenesis in rats.
(6/1690)
Evidence indicates that consumption of probiotic microorganisms such as bifidobacteria reduces the risk of colon cancer in animal models. Feeding certain fructans such as oligofructose and inulin, which are thought to selectively increase the growth of intestinal bifidobacteria (i.e., a prebiotic effect), also has been shown to reduce colon cancer risk. The objective of our study was twofold, i. e., to determine whether the combination of bifidobacteria and oligofructose would have an additive effect (i.e., synbiotic) in reducing colon cancer risk in rats, and to determine whether other oligosaccharides would also be effective as part of a synbiotic combination. The development of colonic preneoplastic lesions (aberrant crypts) was used as an index of colon cancer risk. In one series of experiments, rats were given the carcinogen 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) and administered one of the following treatments: skim milk (control), bifidobacteria (bifido), oligofructose (OF) or bifido + OF. Neither bifido nor OF alone significantly reduced aberrant crypt number. Bifido + OF reduced aberrant crypt number in five of six experiments, although the reduction was significant in only one. However, a paired comparison of the six experiments indicated a significant overall reduction in aberrant crypts by bifido + OF (P = 0.039). Soybean oligosaccharide (SBO) and wheat bran oligosaccharide (WBO) were also fed in combination with bifidobacteria. In two other experiments, SBO did not alter the number of aberrant crypts compared with the control, whereas WBO reduced aberrant crypt number in one experiment but not in another. Of OF, SBO and WBO, only SBO reduced the colonic mucosa proliferation compared with the control. These results suggest that the combination of bifidobacteria and oligofructose reduces colon cancer risk in carcinogen-treated rats, but the effect of other oligosaccharides is uncertain. (+info)
Impact on the composition of the faecal flora by a new probiotic preparation: preliminary data on maintenance treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis.
(7/1690)
BACKGROUND: Although 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) oral compounds are the standard maintenance treatment for ulcerative colitis in remission, some patients cannot use them because of side-effects. Clinical and experimental observations have suggested the potential role of probiotics in inflammatory bowel disease therapy. AIM: To evaluate the effects on intestinal microflora and the clinical efficacy of a new probiotic preparation in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with ulcerative colitis, intolerant or allergic to 5-ASA, have been treated with a new probiotic preparation (VSL#3, CSL, Milan, Italy) containing 5x10(11) cells/g of 3 strains of bifidobacteria, 4 strains of lactobacilli and 1 strain of Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus. Two doses of 3 g were administered o.d. for 12 months. Faecal samples for stool culture were obtained from the patients at the beginning of the trial and after 10, 20, 40, 60, 75, 90 days, 12 months and at 15 days after the end of the treatment. The following bacterial groups have been evaluated in the faeces: total aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, enterococci, Streptococcus thermophilus, lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, Bacteroides, clostridia, coliforms. Patients were assessed clinically every two months, and assessed endoscopically at 6 and 12 months or in relapse. RESULTS: Faecal concentrations of Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria increased significantly in all patients, compared to their basal level, from the 20th day of treatment (P<0.05) and remained stable throughout the study. Concentrations of Bacteroides, clostridia, coliforms, total aerobic and anaerobic bacteria did not change significantly during treatment (P = N.S.). Fifteen of 20 treated patients remained in remission during the study, one patient was lost to follow up, while the remaining relapsed. No significant side-effects have been reported. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that this probiotic preparation is able to colonize the intestine, and suggest that it may be useful in maintaining the remission in ulcerative colitis patients intolerant or allergic to 5-ASA. Controlled trials are warranted to confirm these preliminary results. (+info)
Characterization of two Bacillus probiotics.
(8/1690)
Bacillus subtilis is currently used as an oral probiotic. We examined two commercial B. subtilis probiotic preparations, Enterogermina and Biosubtyl. Surprisingly, physiological and genetic characterization of the bacteria contained in each of these preparations has shown that neither contains B. subtilis. (+info)