Early administration of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus and/or prebiotic inulin attenuates pathogen-mediated

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Investigating the Alleviating Effects of Bacillus cereus Administration on Colitis through Gut Microbiota Modulation
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Ondulla T Foye1, I-Fei Huang, Christine C Chiou

  • 1Mucosal Immunology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology
|April 25, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Probiotics and prebiotics reduce gut inflammation in infant mice infected with Citrobacter rodentium. These interventions enhance host immunity by modulating NF-κB and Smad 7 signaling pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Gut-associated immunity immaturity is a key factor in pediatric mortality from enteric infections.
  • Enteric pathogens like Citrobacter rodentium pose significant risks to infant health.
  • Understanding host-pathogen interactions is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of Lactobacillus acidophilus (probiotic), inulin (prebiotic), and synbiotics on pathogen-induced inflammation in a pediatric enteric disease model.
  • To determine the effects of these interventions on NF-κB and Smad 7 signaling pathways.
  • To assess the modulation of host immune responses against Citrobacter rodentium infection.

Main Methods:

  • A murine model of infantile enteric disease was utilized.
  • Newborn mice were administered Lactobacillus acidophilus, inulin, or synbiotics bi-weekly for four weeks.
  • Mice were subsequently challenged with Citrobacter rodentium, and intestinal inflammation, bacterial colonization, and signaling pathways (NF-κB, Smad 7, IL-10, TGF-β) were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic treatments significantly reduced intestinal inflammation and bacterial colonization post-Citrobacter rodentium challenge.
  • Synbiotic treatment enhanced colonic IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β expression and inhibited NF-κB signaling.
  • All interventions (synbiotic, probiotic, prebiotic) attenuated Citrobacter rodentium-induced Smad 7 expression.

Conclusions:

  • Lactobacillus acidophilus, inulin, and synbiotics show potential in promoting host-protective immunity against enteric infections in infants.
  • These interventions may attenuate Citrobacter rodentium-induced intestinal inflammation by modulating NF-κB and Smad 7 signaling.
  • The findings support the use of probiotics and prebiotics for managing pediatric enteric diseases.

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