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The ability of probiotic bacteria to bind to human intestinal mucus
P V Kirjavainen1, A C Ouwehand, E Isolauri
1Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, Finland. piviki@utu.fi
Abstract:
Human mucus was isolated from faecal samples of newborns, two and six month old infants and adults. The adhesion to this mucus by the bacteria mentioned below was assessed in vitro. Depending on the age group: 44-46% of the applied Lactobacillus GG, 23-30% of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12, 9-14% of Lactobacillus johnsonii LJ-1, 3-10% of Lactobacillus salivarius LM2-118, Lactobacillus crispatus M247, Lactobacillus paracasei F19 and 2% of L. crispatus Mu5 adhered. All the strains adhered better to the mucus of adults than to that of infants. With some of the strains significant differences between the infant age groups were also observed. In conclusion, the age of the target group may be worthy of consideration when planning a schedule for probiotic or functional food therapy.
Insights
Bacterial adhesion to human mucus varies by age. Probiotic effectiveness may depend on the target age group, with adult mucus showing higher bacterial adherence than infant mucus.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Probiotics are beneficial bacteria influencing gut health.
- Bacterial adhesion to host mucus is a key factor in probiotic efficacy.
- Mucosal characteristics can change significantly from infancy to adulthood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vitro adhesion of specific probiotic bacterial strains to human fecal mucus from different age groups.
- To determine if age-related differences in mucus composition affect bacterial adherence.
Main Methods:
- Human fecal samples were collected from newborns, 2-month-olds, 6-month-olds, and adults.
- In vitro adhesion assays were performed using Lactobacillus GG, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12, Lactobacillus johnsonii LJ-1, Lactobacillus salivarius LM2-118, Lactobacillus crispatus M247, Lactobacillus paracasei F19, and L. crispatus Mu5.
- Bacterial adhesion rates to mucus from different age groups were quantified.
Main Results:
- Lactobacillus GG showed the highest adhesion (44-46%), followed by Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 (23-30%).
- All tested bacterial strains exhibited significantly better adhesion to adult mucus compared to infant mucus.
- Variations in adherence were also observed between different infant age groups.
Conclusions:
- Host age is a critical factor influencing probiotic bacterial adhesion to intestinal mucus.
- Consideration of the target age group's mucosal environment is important for optimizing probiotic or functional food therapy schedules.
- Further research into age-specific mucosal interactions could enhance probiotic formulation and application.