Saccharomyces boulardii stimulates intestinal immunoglobulin A immune response to Clostridium difficile toxin A in mice.
Saccharomyces boulardii is a nonpathogenic yeast that protects against antibiotic-associated diarrhea and recurrent Clostridium difficile colitis. The administration of C. difficile toxoid A by gavage to S. boulardii-fed BALB/c mice caused a 1.8-fold increase in total small intestinal immunoglobulin A levels (P = 0.003) and a 4.4-fold increase in specific intestinal anti-toxin A levels (P < 0.001). Enhancing host intestinal immune responses may be an important mechanism for S. boulardii-mediated protection against diarrheal illnesses.
Gastroenterology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
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A
Qamar
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Aboudola
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Warny
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Michetti
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Pothoulakis
J T
JT
LaMont
C P
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Kelly
D000818:Animals; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000517:prevention & control; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012440:Saccharomyces / Q000502:physiology*
D000992:Antitoxins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; C041348:tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile