title: Effects of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus johnsonii strain La1 on autonomic nerves and blood glucose in rats.
abstract: Oral administration of Lactobacillus casei reportedly reduces blood glucose concentrations in a non-insulin-dependent diabetic KK-Ay mouse model. In order to determine if other lactobacillus strains affect glucose metabolism, we evaluated the effect of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 (LJLa1) strain on glucose metabolism in rats. Oral administration of LJLa1 via drinking water for 2 weeks inhibited the hyperglycemia induced by intracranial injection of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG). We found that the hyperglucagonemic response induced by 2DG was also suppressed by LJLa1. Oral administration of LJLa1 for 2 weeks also reduced the elevation of blood glucose and glucagon levels after an oral glucose load in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. In addition, we recently observed that intraduodenal injection of LJLa1 reduced renal sympathetic nerve activity and enhanced gastric vagal nerve activity, suggesting that LJLa1 might affect glucose metabolism by changing autonomic nerve activity. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of intraduodenal administration of LJLa1 on adrenal sympathetic nerve activity (ASNA) in urethane-anesthetized rats, since the autonomic nervous system, including the adrenal sympathetic nerve, may be implicated in the control of the blood glucose levels. Indeed, we found that ASNA was suppressed by intraduodenal administration of LJLa1, suggesting that LJLa1 might improve glucose tolerance by reducing glucagon secretion via alteration of autonomic nerve activities.
authors.affiliation: Division of Protein Metabolism, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamano
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanida
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niijima
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagai
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000294:innervation; D000818:Animals; D017776:Autonomic Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000633:toxicity; D004326:Drinking; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007778:Lactobacillus; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005934:Glucagon; D003847:Deoxyglucose