Probiotic therapy fails to improve gut permeability in a hapten model of colitis.
BACKGROUND
Studies in clinical and experimental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have shown disturbances in intestinal bacterial flora with an increase in potentially pathogenic and a decrease in protective organisms. It was hypothesized that Lactobacillus plantarum species 299 (LP299), a probiotic, would ameliorate colitis and improve intestinal permeability in experimental colitis. This study investigated the effect of LP299 in the trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid/ethanol (TNBS/E) rat model of colitis.


METHODS
Twelve week old male Wistar rats were randomized to receive rectal instillates of either TNBS/E (n = 48) or saline (n = 16). For the next 7 days the animals were gavaged with 2.5 ml of oat fibre suspension containing 10(9) colony forming units (CFU) of LP299 (LP299/OF), oat fibre suspension alone (OF) or no treatment. At the end of the experiment rats received radiolabelled polyethylene glycol and urine was collected for 24 h to assess permeability. Animals were then anaesthetized and colons were harvested for colon macroscopic scoring (CMS).


RESULTS
TNBS/E per rectum resulted in a greater CMS (P < 0.001) and gut permeability (P = 0.006) than saline. Administration of LP299/OF or oat fibre alone did not result in a reduction in CMS or gut permeability when compared to colitic controls.


CONCLUSIONS
LP299/OF, when administered after TNBS instillation, does not reduce the severity of colitis or improve gut permeability in this hapten model of colitis.
Kennedy
R J
RJ
The Dept of Surgery. Institute of Clinical Science, The Queen's University of Belfast, UK.
Hoper
M
M
Deodhar
K
K
Kirk
S J
SJ
Gardiner
K R
KR
D000818:Animals; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
D001430:Bacteriocins; C417164:plantaricin UG1; D000431:Ethanol; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid