title: Serum cholesterol levels in axenic mice colonized with Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus acidophilus.
abstract: Hypocholesterolemic effect was shown in axenic, mono, bicolonized and conventional mice: the effect was different depending on probiotic properties of intestinal microorganisms. Contamination by Enterococcus faecium CX determined the highest effect: haematic cholesterol level decrease was 16.9% in females and 7.8% in males. In mice contaminated by Lactobacillus acidophilus N5 the decrease of haematic cholesterol levels was less and not relevant in mice contaminated by conventional microflora. Enterococcus faecium CX and Lactobacillus acidophilus N5 strains were able to grow in presence of bile salts, to colonize intestinal tract, to survive at gastric conditions and to assimilate cholesterol (E. faecium more than L. acidophilus). The authors consider the possibility to associate probiotic strains with these characteristics for the health of consumers.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zacconi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bottazzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rebecchi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bosi
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Sarra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005856:Germ-Free Life / Q000502:physiology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol