Project description:Probiotic bacteria may render mice resistant to the development of various inflammatory and infectious diseases. This study aimed to identify underlying mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria may influence intestinal immune homeostasis in non-inflammatory conditions. To this end, we studied the effect of short term (3 days) and long term (28 days) oral administration of VSL#3, a mixture of 8 probiotic bacteria, to healthy BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, with dominant humoral or cellular immunity, respectively. Long-term treatment with VSL#3 resulted in an increase of B cells and a decrease of CD4+ T cells in the Peyer’s patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of both mouse strains, compared to untreated mice. However, genome wide gene expression profiling using micro-arrays revealed that prolonged administration of VSL#3 to BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice was associated with host-specific modulation of gene expression in colon and small intestine. Whereas VSL#3 treatment resulted in down-regulation of Il13 and Epx, and up-regulation of Il12rb1, Ccr5, Cxcr3 and Cxcl10 in BALB/c mice, such effects were not observed in C57BL/6 mice. In BALB/c mice, a 2-fold increase in CD103+ CD11c+ dendritic cells was found both in PP and in MLN, 18 hours after the first treatment with VSL#3. Prolonged treatment with VSL#3 was associated with increased numbers of Th17 cells and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the MLN of these mice. In conclusion, these experiments in healthy mice show that probiotic bacteria may alter the immunological phenotype of the host; the nature of these effects is dependent on mouse strain. In conclusion, these experiments in healthy mice show that probiotic bacteria may alter the immunological phenotype of the host; the nature of these effects is dependent on mouse strain.
Project description:Probiotic bacteria may render mice resistant to the development of various inflammatory and infectious diseases. This study aimed to identify underlying mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria may influence intestinal immune homeostasis in non-inflammatory conditions. To this end, we studied the effect of short term (3 days) and long term (28 days) oral administration of VSL#3, a mixture of 8 probiotic bacteria, to healthy BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, with dominant humoral or cellular immunity, respectively. Long-term treatment with VSL#3 resulted in an increase of B cells and a decrease of CD4+ T cells in the Peyer’s patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of both mouse strains, compared to untreated mice. However, genome wide gene expression profiling using micro-arrays revealed that prolonged administration of VSL#3 to BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice was associated with host-specific modulation of gene expression in colon and small intestine. Whereas VSL#3 treatment resulted in down-regulation of Il13 and Epx, and up-regulation of Il12rb1, Ccr5, Cxcr3 and Cxcl10 in BALB/c mice, such effects were not observed in C57BL/6 mice. In BALB/c mice, a 2-fold increase in CD103+ CD11c+ dendritic cells was found both in PP and in MLN, 18 hours after the first treatment with VSL#3. Prolonged treatment with VSL#3 was associated with increased numbers of Th17 cells and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the MLN of these mice. In conclusion, these experiments in healthy mice show that probiotic bacteria may alter the immunological phenotype of the host; the nature of these effects is dependent on mouse strain. In conclusion, these experiments in healthy mice show that probiotic bacteria may alter the immunological phenotype of the host; the nature of these effects is dependent on mouse strain. 40 samples (4 experimental groups, 5 biological replicates), performed in two inbred mice strains
Project description:The hypothesis of this research was that probiotic bacteria that increase intestinal barrier function achieve this, partly, by increasing the expression of the genes involved in tight junction signalling in healthy intestinal epithelial cells. L. plantarum MB452 isolated from the probiotic product VSL#3 was chosen as the test bacterium because it has a robust, repeatable, positive effect tight junction integrity, as measured by the trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in vitro.
Project description:The current study was designed to clarify signalling pathways and assess possible beneficial effect of new probiotic mixture in DSS (dextran sulphate sodium) – induced colitis mouse model. Manipulation of intestinal microbiota with probiotics represents a promising alternative or adjunct therapy in gastrointestinal disorders and inflammation. RNA extracted from the middle part of colon tissue from ~11 weeks female C57BL/6JOlaHsd mouse strain was used for examination of the global gene expression using Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Gene 2.0 ST microarrays.
Project description:Background & Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and is linked to post-inflammatory and stress-correlated factors that cause changes in the perception of visceral events. Increased evidence indicates that probiotic bacteria may be useful in treating IBS. Our aims were to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with VSL#3, a mixture of 8 probiotic bacteria strains, in the neonatal maternal separation (NMS)-induced visceral hypersensitivity rat model and to determine whether it modulates the colonic expression of pain-related genes. Methods: Male NMS pups were treated orally with placebo or VSL#3 at days 3-60, while normal, not separated rats were used as control. After 60 days from birth, perception of painful sensation induced by colorectal distension (CRD) was measured by assessing the abdominal withdrawal reflex (score 0-4). The colonic gene expression analysis was assessed by using Agilent Whole Rat Genome Oligo Microarrays. Results: NMS rats exhibited both hyperalgesia and allodynia when compared with controls. VSL#3 showed a potent analgesic effect on CRD-induced pain without modifying colorectal compliance. The microarray analysis demonstrated that NMS rats had both over- and downregulation of several genes involved in inflammatory and painful processes and VSL#3 was able to counteract these alterations. Conclusions: This study indicates that VSL#3 is effective in reducing visceral pain in an experimental model of IBS by induction or suppression of pain-modulating genes. These observations provide support for the use of VSL#3 in the treatment of painful conditions related to IBS.
Project description:Background & Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and is linked to post-inflammatory and stress-correlated factors that cause changes in the perception of visceral events. Increased evidence indicates that probiotic bacteria may be useful in treating IBS. Our aims were to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with VSL#3, a mixture of 8 probiotic bacteria strains, in the neonatal maternal separation (NMS)-induced visceral hypersensitivity rat model and to determine whether it modulates the colonic expression of pain-related genes. Methods: Male NMS pups were treated orally with placebo or VSL#3 at days 3-60, while normal, not separated rats were used as control. After 60 days from birth, perception of painful sensation induced by colorectal distension (CRD) was measured by assessing the abdominal withdrawal reflex (score 0-4). The colonic gene expression analysis was assessed by using Agilent Whole Rat Genome Oligo Microarrays. Results: NMS rats exhibited both hyperalgesia and allodynia when compared with controls. VSL#3 showed a potent analgesic effect on CRD-induced pain without modifying colorectal compliance. The microarray analysis demonstrated that NMS rats had both over- and downregulation of several genes involved in inflammatory and painful processes and VSL#3 was able to counteract these alterations. Conclusions: This study indicates that VSL#3 is effective in reducing visceral pain in an experimental model of IBS by induction or suppression of pain-modulating genes. These observations provide support for the use of VSL#3 in the treatment of painful conditions related to IBS. The dataset comprises 12 samples divided into three sample groups each representing a certain treatment condition of male rats.
Project description:Inflammatory bowel diseases encompass gastrointestinal illnesseses typified by chronic inflammation, loss of epithelial integrity and gastrointestinal microbiota dysbiosis. In an effort to counteract these characteristic perturbations, we used stem cells and/or a probiotic preparation in a murine model of Dextran Sodium Sulfate induced colitis to examine both their efficacy in ameliorating disease and impact on niche-specific microbial communities of the lower GI tract. Colitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by administering 3% DSS in drinking water for 10 days prior to administering one of three treatment plans: daily probiotic (VSL#3) supplementation for 3 days, a single tail vein injection of 1x106 murine mesenchymal stem cells, or both. Controls included DSS-untreated mice and DSS-treated mice that received no therapy. Ileal, cecal and colonic sections were collected for microbiota and histological analyses. Microbiota profiling revealed distinct bacterial community compositions in the ileum, cecum and colon of control untreated animals, all of which were predicted in silico to be enriched for a number of discrete KEGG pathways, indicating compositional and functional niche specificity in healthy animals. DSS- treatment perturbed community composition in all three niches with ileal communities exhibiting the greatest change relative to control animals. Stem cell, VSL#3 and the combination treated animals exhibited treatment-specific microbiota composition in the lower GI tract, though disease scores were only improved in VSL#3 treated animals. This VSL#3-associated shift in the ileal microbiota was characterized by significant Enterobacteriaceae enrichment compared to colitic animals (p<0.05),
Project description:Inflammatory bowel diseases encompass gastrointestinal illnesseses typified by chronic inflammation, loss of epithelial integrity and gastrointestinal microbiota dysbiosis. In an effort to counteract these characteristic perturbations, we used stem cells and/or a probiotic preparation in a murine model of Dextran Sodium Sulfate induced colitis to examine both their efficacy in ameliorating disease and impact on niche-specific microbial communities of the lower GI tract. Colitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by administering 3% DSS in drinking water for 10 days prior to administering one of three treatment plans: daily probiotic (VSL#3) supplementation for 3 days, a single tail vein injection of 1x106 murine mesenchymal stem cells, or both. Controls included DSS-untreated mice and DSS-treated mice that received no therapy. Ileal, cecal and colonic sections were collected for microbiota and histological analyses. Microbiota profiling revealed distinct bacterial community compositions in the ileum, cecum and colon of control untreated animals, all of which were predicted in silico to be enriched for a number of discrete KEGG pathways, indicating compositional and functional niche specificity in healthy animals. DSS- treatment perturbed community composition in all three niches with ileal communities exhibiting the greatest change relative to control animals. Stem cell, VSL#3 and the combination treated animals exhibited treatment-specific microbiota composition in the lower GI tract, though disease scores were only improved in VSL#3 treated animals. This VSL#3-associated shift in the ileal microbiota was characterized by significant Enterobacteriaceae enrichment compared to colitic animals (p<0.05), Mice (n=40) were randomly divided into five experimental groups, four of which received Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS; 3% solution in drinking water) for 10 days to induce colitis. Three of the DSS-treated groups received the following treatment modalities: VSL#3 (VSL#3, n=5), mesenchymal stem cells (MSC, n=5), or VSL#3 + mesenchymal stem cells (DUAL, n=5). The fourth DSS-treated group received no intervention (DSS; n=10). The additional fifth group of animals received neither DSS nor any therapeutic intervention and acted as untreated controls (CNTL, n=15). Following colitis induction (Day 10), DSS administration was halted and mice in the VSL#3, MSC and DUAL groups received the following interventions respectively: daily oral supplementation with 5x106 CFUs per supplement of VSL#3 in 100ul PBS (VSL#3); a single tail vein injection of 1x106 murine mesenchymal stem cells in 100_l PBS on Day 10 (MSC) or a combination of both treatments To provide control data for comparison, CNTL mice (n=5 per time point) were euthanized and sampled on days 1, 10, and 14, while DSS mice (n=5 per time point) were euthanized on days 10 and 14. All MSC, VSL#3, and DUAL mice were euthanized on Day 14. Samples collected from each animal included terminal ileum (1cm proximal to the cecum), cecum (divided transversely and stored as two separate samples), and proximal colon. All samples were added to RNAlater, prior to storage at -80C for analysis. Additional colonic samples were obtained, proximal to the initial sample site for microbiome analyses, and were preserved in paraformaldehyde for histological analyses.
Project description:Using Affymetrix data analysis, important signalling pathways and transcription factors relevant to gut inflammation and anti-inflammatory action of probiotics were identified using the clinically validated probiotic VSL#3 and the IL10-knockout mouse, an animal model for inflammatory bowel disease. VSL#3 increased expression of genes involved in PPAR signalling and metabolism of xenobiotics and decreased expression of genes involved in immune response/inflammatory response.
Project description:Using Affymetrix data analysis, important signalling pathways and transcription factors relevant to gut inflammation and anti-inflammatory action of probiotics were identified using the clinically validated probiotic VSL#3 and the IL10-knockout mouse, an animal model for inflammatory bowel disease. VSL#3 increased expression of genes in volved in PPAR signalling and metabolism of xenobiotics and decreased expression of genes involved in immune response/inflammatory response. IL10-knockout (IL10-KO) and wildtype (WT) mice housed under specific pathogen free (SPF) conditions were sacrificed at 24 weeks by cervical dislocation. The study is comprised of two independent Microarray experiments. Microarray experiment1 compares gene expression of IL10-KO and WT colon tissue. For microarray analysis RNA was extracted from the colon tissue of each mouse (WT n=7, IL10-KO n=6). Microarray experiment2 compares gene expression of WT and IL10-KO mice fed with either placebo or probiotic VSL#3. IL10-KO and WT mice were fed with placebo or 1.3x109 cfu of lyophilized VSL#3 bacteria post weaning for 21 weeks. For microarray analysis RNA was extracted from the caecum tissue of each mouse (WT Placebo n=6, IL10-KO Placebo n=6, IL10-KO VSL#3 n=6).