title: Lactobacillus acidophilus protects tight junctions from aspirin damage in HT-29 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cause enterocyte damage inducing an increase of intestinal permeability. Tight junctions are the key structures in the permeability of the intestinal mucosa. ZO-1 is a tight junction associated protein considered a good marker of their integrity. It has been suggested that probiotics could play a protective role in the intestinal barrier function. We determined, in vitro, whether the heat-killed Lactobacillus acidophilus strain LB (LaLB) with its spent culture supernatant protects tight junctions of HT-29 cells from aspirin (ASA) damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  HT-29 cells were treated with ASA alone or ASA and LaLB with its spent culture supernatant together. Morphological alterations of tight junctions were evaluated by immunofluorescence using an anti-ZO-1 antibody. Moreover, a semiquantitative assay for ZO-1 was performed by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunofluorescence analysis showed a fragmented and granulous ZO-1 staining, after ASA treatment. Using both ASA and LaLB with its spent culture supernatant together, we found a fine continuous linear web at cell-cell contacts similarly to control. Western blot revealed that ASA inhibited ZO-1 expression and LaLB with its spent culture supernatant counteracted this effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study shows, for the first time, the protective effect of LaLB with its spent culture supernatant on tight junctions from ASA damage. These results suggest that probiotics could play a role in the prevention of ASA-induced alterations of intestinal permeability.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, Catholic University, Rome, IT-00168 Italy. mmontalto@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montalto
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maggiano
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Curigliano
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Nicuolo
authors.forename: Fabio Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000502:physiology*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001241:Aspirin