Oral administration of Lactobacillus induces cardioprotection.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to investigate the potential of oral administration of Lactobacillus to induce cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat hearts, and to determine whether this protection is associated with myocardial catalase activation and heat shock protein 70 expression.


METHODS
Lactobacillus was administered orally to rats on a daily basis, from 1 to 21 days before global ischemia. Global ischemia was produced by full-stop flow in isolated Langendorff-perfused rat hearts for 20 minutes and was followed by reperfusion. Similarly, saline was administered to control animals.


RESULTS
Lactobacillus significantly reduced reperfusion tachyarrhythmia and improved functional recovery of the ischemic rat hearts. These cardioprotective effects were associated with reduction of norepinephrine release at the first minute of reperfusion, activation of myocardial catalase, and overexpression of 70 kd heat stress protein at ischemia and reperfusion (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Oral administration of Lactobacillus produces marked cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury. This effect is attributed to activation of the cellular defense system, manifested by activation of the antioxidant pathway, and by expression of protective proteins. Norepinephrine is involved in this process. The results of this study suggest that Lactobacillus, which is generally considered safe, could serve as a basis for the development of a new agent for preventive therapy of various ischemic heart syndromes.
Oxman
T
T
The Chalm Sheba Medical Center, Heart Institute, Tel Hashomer and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Shapira
M
M
Klein
R
R
Avazov
N
N
Rabinowitz
B
B
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007778:Lactobacillus; D008297:Male; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D002374:Catalase; D009638:Norepinephrine