Effects of an oral synbiotic on the gastrointestinal immune system and microbiota in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
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ABSTRACT: PURPOSE:Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder. Probiotics and synbiotics have been shown to improve symptoms of IBS, although mechanisms of action are currently not understood. METHODS:We investigated the effects of a 4-week oral synbiotic treatment (OMNi-BiOTiC® Stress Repair) in ten IBS-D patients on gastrointestinal mucosal and fecal microbiota, mucosa-associated immune cells, and fecal short-chain fatty acids. The upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts were compared before and after a 4-week synbiotic treatment using endoscopic evaluation to collect mucosal specimens for FACS analysis and mucosal 16S rRNA gene analysis. In stool samples, analysis for fecal SCFAs using GC-MS, fecal zonulin using ELISA, and fecal 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed. RESULTS:Synbiotics led to an increased microbial diversity in gastric (p?=?0.008) and duodenal (p?=?0.025) mucosal specimens. FACS analysis of mucosal immune cells showed a treatment-induced reduction of CD4+ T cells (60 vs. 55%, p?=?0.042) in the ascending colon. Short-chain fatty acids (acetate 101 vs. 202 µmol/g; p?=?0.007) and butyrate (27 vs. 40 µmol/g; p?=?0.037) were elevated in fecal samples after treatment. Furthermore, treatment was accompanied by a reduction of fecal zonulin concentration (67 vs. 36 ng/ml; p?=?0.035) and disease severity measured by IBS-SSS (237 vs. 54; p?=?0.002). CONCLUSIONS:Our findings indicate that a short-course oral synbiotic trial may influence the human gastrointestinal tract in IBS-D patients on different levels which are region specific.
SUBMITTER: Moser AM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6768888 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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