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Probiotics inhibit enteropathogenic E. coli adherence in vitro by inducing intestinal mucin gene expression
1Combined Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA.
Abstract:
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.
Insights
Probiotic bacteria like Lactobacillus plantarum 299v can prevent enteric infections by inhibiting pathogenic E. coli adherence. This effect is linked to increased MUC2 and MUC3 mucin expression in intestinal cells.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
Background:
- Probiotic agents offer potential alternatives to antimicrobials for enteric infections.
- Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains can cause enteric infections through adherence to intestinal cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism by which probiotic agents inhibit the adherence of attaching and effacing pathogenic Escherichia coli to intestinal epithelial cells.
- To explore the role of MUC2 and MUC3 mucins in probiotic-mediated inhibition of bacterial adherence.
Main Methods:
- In vitro study using HT-29 (intestinal) and HEp-2 (non-intestinal) epithelial cell lines.
- Assessing the adherence of pathogenic E. coli to cell lines under varying conditions.
- Measuring MUC2 and MUC3 mRNA and mucin expression levels.
- Evaluating the effect of exogenous mucins and probiotic incubation on bacterial adherence.
Main Results:
- Probiotic agents Lactobacillus plantarum 299v and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG inhibited pathogenic E. coli adherence to HT-29 cells but not HEp-2 cells.
- HT-29 cells expressed higher levels of MUC2 and MUC3 mRNA compared to HEp-2 cells.
- Exogenous MUC2 and MUC3 mucins inhibited E. coli adherence to HEp-2 cells.
- Incubation with L. plantarum 299v increased MUC2 and MUC3 mRNA expression in HT-29 cells.
Conclusions:
- Probiotic agents may inhibit enteropathogen adherence by upregulating MUC2 and MUC3 intestinal mucin expression.
- This mechanism highlights a potential role for probiotics in preventing enteric infections through host-mucosal interactions.