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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice
Published on: January 26, 2024
Observation of inflammatory responses in mice orally fed with bacteriophage T7
1Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yong-In, Gyung-Gi Do, Korea.
Aims:
Analysis of inflammatory immune response upon bacteriophage intake in mice.
Methods And Results:
Bacteriophage therapy is emerging as an effective alternative to conventional antibiotics. However, its safety when applied to humans and animals remains a prime concern. This study investigated the inflammatory responses in mice fed orally with bacteriophages. The mice were fed with either murine norovirus (MNV) or bacteriophage T7 for 10 days and then sacrificed. No behavioural changes related to diet, movement or defecation were observed in either group. The inflammatory cytokine profiling showed an increased level of interleukins 1α (IL-1α), 1β (IL-1β), 2 (IL-2), 10 (IL-10), 12 (IL-12), 17A (IL-17A), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the serum from the mice fed with MNV, whereas only a slight increase in IL-17A was observed in the serum from the mice fed with bacteriophage T7. A histopathological analysis of tissue samples from the stomach, small intestine and colon revealed no significant pathological change.
Conclusions:
The bacteriophage diet only caused a minimal inflammatory response in the mice.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
This study provides insights into safety concerns of orally fed bacteriophage therapy.
Insights
Oral bacteriophage therapy showed minimal inflammatory responses in mice. This study investigated the safety of bacteriophage T7 and murine norovirus, finding no significant adverse effects or pathology.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Gastroenterology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Bacteriophage therapy presents a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics.
- Evaluating the safety of bacteriophages, particularly oral administration, is crucial for human and animal applications.
- Understanding the immune response to bacteriophage intake is essential for their therapeutic development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the inflammatory immune response in mice following oral administration of bacteriophages.
- To assess the safety profile of bacteriophage therapy concerning inflammatory markers and histopathology.
Main Methods:
- Mice were orally administered either murine norovirus (MNV) or bacteriophage T7 for 10 days.
- Serum cytokine profiling was performed to quantify inflammatory markers.
- Histopathological analysis of gastrointestinal tissues (stomach, small intestine, colon) was conducted.
Main Results:
- Mice fed MNV exhibited elevated levels of various interleukins (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17A), interferon-γ, TNF-α, G-CSF, and GM-CSF.
- Mice fed bacteriophage T7 showed only a minor increase in IL-17A.
- No significant behavioral changes or pathological alterations were observed in the gastrointestinal tissues of either group.
Conclusions:
- Oral bacteriophage administration resulted in a minimal inflammatory response in mice.
- Bacteriophage therapy appears to have a favorable safety profile regarding acute inflammatory reactions and gastrointestinal pathology.
- These findings contribute to the understanding of safety concerns associated with orally administered bacteriophage therapy.
