Fecal beta-D-galactosidase production and Bifidobacteria are decreased in Crohn's disease.
Digestive bacterial microflora play a major role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). Bacterial enzyme activities, especially beta-D-galactosidase, are decreased in fecal extracts from CD patients. We hypothesized that an alteration of the colonic flora might be responsible for this decrease. Indeed, we demonstrate that beta-D-galactosidase production in supernates of anaerobic cultures was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in feces from patients with active Crohn's disease (N = 7), when compared to healthy controls (N = 8). Therefore using X-gal and selective media, we enumerated bacteria able to release beta-D-galactosidase in feces from patients with active (N = 16) or quiescent disease (N = 5) and healthy controls (N = 14). Bifidobacteria numbers were significantly reduced in patients (P < 0.01 for active; P < 0.02 for quiescent disease) whereas Bacteroides and Lactobacilli counts remained unchanged. beta-D-Galactosidase activity and Bifidobacteria counts were significantly correlated (P < 0.03). Bifidobacteria are regarded as beneficial for the host. The reduction in Bifidobacteria is responsible for decreased beta-D-galactosidase activity. Thus oral administration of prebiotics that promote their growth might have potential therapeutic interest.
Favier
C
C
Laboratoire de Biochimie et Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Faculté desSciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Lille, France.
Neut
C
C
Mizon
C
C
Cortot
A
A
Colombel
J F
JF
Mizon
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis*
D001616:beta-Galactosidase