Colitic scid mice fed Lactobacillus spp. show an ameliorated gut histopathology and an altered cytokine profile by local T cells.
BACKGROUND
Scid mice transplanted with CD4 T blast cells develop colitis. We investigated if the disease was influenced in colitic mice treated with antibiotic and fed Lactobacillus spp.


METHODS
Colitic scid mice were treated for 1 week with antibiotics (vancomycin/meropenem) followed or not followed by a 3-week administration of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM-12246 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus 19070-2 at 2x10 live bacteria/mouse/24 hours. After 12 weeks, the rectums were removed for histology, and CD4 T cells from the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) were polyclonally activated for cytokine measurements.


RESULTS
Irrespective of no treatment or treatments with antibiotics and probiotics, all mice transplanted with T cell blasts lost 10% of their body weight during the 12-week experimental period, whereas the nontransplanted mice had a 10% weight increase (P<0.001). All mice treated with antibiotics but not fed probiotics showed severe gut inflammation, whereas only 2 of the 7 mice fed probiotics showed signs of severe colitis (P<0.05). MLN-derived CD4 T cells from this latter group of mice showed lower levels of interleukin-4 secretion (P<0.05) and a tendency to higher interferon-gamma production than mice not fed probiotics.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that probiotics added to the drinking water may ameliorate local histopathological changes and influence local cytokine levels in colitic mice but not alter the colitis-associated weight loss.
Møller
Peter Lange
PL
Department of Dairy and Food Science, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, and Department of Pediatrics, H:S Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Paerregaard
Anders
A
Gad
Monika
M
Kristensen
Nanna Ny
NN
Claesson
Mogens Helweg
MH
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D003092:Colitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007778:Lactobacillus; D052200:Limosilactobacillus reuteri; D000077731:Meropenem; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016513:Mice, SCID; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D013845:Thienamycins; D014640:Vancomycin; D014881:Water Supply
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013845:Thienamycins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D014640:Vancomycin; D000077731:Meropenem