Project description:Background: Lactobacillus plantarum is found in a variety of fermented foods and as such, consumed for centuries. Some strains are natural inhabitants of the human gastro-intestinal tract and like other Lactobacillus species, L. plantarum has been extensively studied for its immunomodulatory properties and its putative health-promoting effects (probiotic). Being the first line of host defense intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) are key players in the recognition and initiation of responses to gut microorganisms. Results: Using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays we examined the gene expression profiles of differentiated Caco-2 cells exposed to various doses of L. plantarum. In addition, the effects were correlated to monolayer permeability studies and measurement of lactic acid production. A transcriptional dose-dependent IEC response to L. plantarum was found. Incubation of Caco-2 with a low bacterial dose induced a specific response, not due to cytotoxicity or production of lactic acid, including modulation of cell cycle and cell signaling functions. Exposure of Caco-2 cells to larger amounts of bacteria, accompanied by the production of lactic acid and glucose depletion, provoked increased permeability and supposed non-specific defense responses. Conclusions: These results suggest that IEC are able to sense and react to the presence of gut bacteria. This study provides the first description of global transcriptional response of human IEC to a commensal lactic acid bacterium, and it shows the importance of choosing physiological bacterial doses to prevent the observation of non-specific host reactions. Keywords: host-microbe interaction; dose response; transcriptional analysis
Project description:Background: Lactobacillus plantarum is found in a variety of fermented foods and as such, consumed for centuries. Some strains are natural inhabitants of the human gastro-intestinal tract and like other Lactobacillus species, L. plantarum has been extensively studied for its immunomodulatory properties and its putative health-promoting effects (probiotic). Being the first line of host defense intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) are key players in the recognition and initiation of responses to gut microorganisms. Results: Using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays we examined the gene expression profiles of differentiated Caco-2 cells exposed to various doses of L. plantarum. In addition, the effects were correlated to monolayer permeability studies and measurement of lactic acid production. A transcriptional dose-dependent IEC response to L. plantarum was found. Incubation of Caco-2 with a low bacterial dose induced a specific response, not due to cytotoxicity or production of lactic acid, including modulation of cell cycle and cell signaling functions. Exposure of Caco-2 cells to larger amounts of bacteria, accompanied by the production of lactic acid and glucose depletion, provoked increased permeability and supposed non-specific defense responses. Conclusions: These results suggest that IEC are able to sense and react to the presence of gut bacteria. This study provides the first description of global transcriptional response of human IEC to a commensal lactic acid bacterium, and it shows the importance of choosing physiological bacterial doses to prevent the observation of non-specific host reactions. Caco-2 cells were exposed for 10h to Lactobacillus. Fourteen samples are analyzed: 4 control Caco-2, 4 Caco-2 exposed to a low dose (10) of Lactobacillus, 4 Caco-2 exposed to a medium dose (100) of Lactobacillus, 2 Caco-2 exposed to a high dose (1000) of Lactobacillus. All 14 RNA samples are labeled with Cy5 and hybridized to a common reference (undifferentiated Caco-2, untreated) RNA labeled with Cy3
Project description:The increasing aquaculture production volumes have caused an escalating demand for alternative protein feed ingredients. Agro-industrial by-products such as sunflower meal are relatively abundant and cheap, but the inclusion levels are limited due to the presence of antinutritional factors and fiber. Solid state fermentation is a processing method with the aim of reducing the content of fiber and antinutritional factors and improving nutritional value in plant protein raw materials. In this study, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at two commercial-like fish farms were fed diets containing 5% non-fermented sunflower meal (as a control diet) and two experimental diets with 5% or 10% fermented sunflower meal. The field trial lasted for eight and 11 months in a coastal and fjord location, respectively with the aim of comparing the effect of fermented diets on growth performance, gut microbiota, distal intestine histology and gene expression of Atlantic salmon under different environmental conditions. The findings revealed that diets with fermented sunflower meal sustained growth performance, improved intestinal health by reducing the prevalence of prominent inflammation and ectopic goblet cells and promoted gut lactic acid bacteria Lactiplantibacillus and Lactobaccilaceae after long-term feeding. Our results suggest that fermented sunflower meal is suitable as a protein source for Atlantic salmon when included at a level of up to 10% in the diet.