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Updated: Sep 9, 2026
Cefoperazone-treated Mouse Model of Clinically-relevant Clostridium difficile Strain R20291
Published on: December 10, 2016
Saccharomyces boulardii inhibits Clostridium difficile toxin A binding and enterotoxicity in rat ileum
C Pothoulakis1, C P Kelly, M A Joshi
1Evans Memorial Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts.
Background:
Saccharomyces boulardii is a nonpathogenic yeast used for the prevention and treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea and colitis. However, the mechanism by which S. boulardii exerts its protective effects remains unclear.
Methods:
The binding of [3H]toxin A to its brush border receptor preincubated with S. boulardii-cultured suspension or filtered conditioned medium was measured in vitro. The effect of toxin A on secretion, epithelial permeability, and morphology in rat ileal loops in vivo was also examined in rats pretreated with S. boulardii.
Results:
S. boulardii reduced [3H]toxin A-receptor binding in a dose-dependent fashion. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of ileal brush border exposed to S. boulardii-conditioned medium revealed a diminution of all brush border proteins. Treatment of rats with S. boulardii suspension reduced fluid secretion and mannitol permeability caused by toxin A.
Conclusions:
S. boulardii may reduce some of the enterotoxic effects of toxin A by inhibiting toxin A-receptor binding. This effect appears to be manifested by a secreted product of the yeast, possibly a protease.
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