Role of endogenous microbiota, probiotics and their biological products in human health

Although gut diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, mucositis and the alimentary cancers share similar pathogenetic features, further investigation is required into new treatment modalities. An imbalance in the gut microbiota, breached gut integrity, bacterial invasion, increased cell apoptosis to proliferation ratio, inflammation and impaired immunity may all contribute to their pathogenesis. Probiotics are defined as live bacteria, which when administered in sufficient amounts, exert beneficial effects to the gastrointestinal tract. More recently, probiotic-derived factors including proteins and other molecules released from living probiotics, have also been shown to exert beneficial properties. In this review we address the potential for probiotics, with an emphasis on probiotic-derived factors, to reduce the severity of digestive diseases and further discuss the known mechanisms by which probiotics and probiotic-derived factors exert their physiological effects.Gordon S. Howarth and Hanru Wan

The Lactobacillus plantarum strain ACA-DC287 isolated from a Greek cheese demonstrates antagonistic activity in vitro and in vivo against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

International audienceAIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of the Xynotyri cheese isolate Lactobacillus plantarum ACA-DC287 using a set of in vitro and in vivo assays. METHODS AND RESULTS: The co-culture of L. plantarum strain ACA-DC287 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain SL1344 results in the killing of the pathogen. The killing activity was produced mainly by non-lactic acid molecule(s) that were present in the cell-free culture supernatant of the L. plantarum strain ACA-DC287. The culture of the L. plantarum strain ACA-DC287 inhibited the penetration of S. typhimurium SL1344 into cultured human enterocyte-like Caco-2/TC7 cells. In conventional mice infected with S. typhimurium SL1344, the intake of L. plantarum strain ACA-DC287 results in a decrease in the levels of Salmonella associated with intestinal tissues or those present in the intestinal contents. In germ-free mice, the L. plantarum strain ACA-DC287 colonized the gastrointestinal tract. CONCLUSIONS: The L. plantarum strain ACA-DC287 strain exerts anti-Salmonella activity similar that of the established probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus casei Shirota YIT9029 and Lactobacillus johnsonii La1. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The observation that a selected cheese Lactobacillus strain exerted antibacterial activity that was similar to those of probiotic Lactobacillus strains, is of interest for the use of this strain as an adjunct strain for the production of health-giving cheeses

pH-, Lactic Acid-, and Non-Lactic Acid-Dependent Activities of Probiotic Lactobacilli against Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium

The mechanism(s) underlying the antibacterial activity of probiotic Lactobacillus strains appears to be multifactorial and includes lowering of the pH and the production of lactic acid and of antibacterial compounds, including bacteriocins and nonbacteriocin, non-lactic acid molecules. Addition of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's minimum essential medium to the incubating medium delays the killing activity of lactic acid. We found that the probiotic strains Lactobacillus johnsonii La1, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus casei Shirota YIT9029, L. casei DN-114 001, and L. rhamnosus GR1 induced a dramatic decrease in the viability of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL1344 mainly attributable to non-lactic acid molecule(s) present in the cell-free culture supernatant (CFCS). These molecules were more active against serovar Typhimurium SL1344 in the exponential growth phase than in the stationary growth phase. We also showed that the production of the non-lactic acid substance(s) responsible for the killing activity was dependent on growth temperature and that both unstable and stable substances with killing activity were present in the CFCSs. We found that the complete inhibition of serovar Typhimurium SL1344 growth results from a pH-lowering effect

Kinetic analysis of the antibacterial activity of probiotic lactobacilli towards Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium reveals a role for lactic acid and other inhibitory compounds.

Six Lactobacillus strains including commercial probiotic ones (L. acidophilus IBB 801, L. amylovorus DCE 471, L. casei Shirota, L. johnsonii La1, L. plantarum ACA-DC 287 and L. rhamnosus GG) were investigated, through batch fermentations under controlled conditions, for their capacity to inhibit Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL1344. All lactobacilli displayed strong antibacterial activity toward this Gram-negative pathogen and significantly inhibited invasion of the pathogen into cultured human enterocyte-like Caco-2/TC7 cells. By studying the production kinetics of antibacterial activity and applying the appropriate acid and pH control samples during a killing assay, we were able to distinguish between the effect of lactic acid and other inhibitory compounds produced. The antibacterial activity of L. acidophilus IBB 801, L. amylovorus DCE 471, L. casei Shirota and L. rhamnosus GG was solely due to the production of lactic acid. The antibacterial activity of L. johnsonii La1 and L. plantarum ACA-DC 287 was due to the production of lactic acid and (an) unknown inhibitory substance(s). The latter was (were) only active in the presence of lactic acid. In addition, the lactic acid produced was responsible for significant inhibitory activity upon invasion of Salmonella into Caco-2/TC7 cells

Antimicrobial potential of probiotic or potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria, the first results of the international European research project PROPATH of the PROEUHEALTH cluster

The EU-funded PROPATH project addresses the important health issue of prevention of gastrointestinal disorders through probiotics and prebiotics. Seven European laboratories are co-operating in this project, which aims to isolate and characterize the relevant antimicrobial agents to combat Gram-negative bacteria including Helicobacter pylori and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. In this paper, the first results on the screening for probiotic or potentially probiotic lactobacilli that exhibit antimicrobial activity towards these Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria are presented. Spot-on-lawn assays, well-diffusion assays and time-kill studies were performed among the lactic acid bacteria strains that were either collected from fermented foods and faeces (breast-fed babies, infants and animals) or isolated from commercial products to investigate whether any of the collected strains were inhibiting growth of or were killing certain indicator bacteria. Strains inhibiting the gastrointestinal pathogens mentioned above were found. Evidence has been obtained that compounds different from organic acids are produced