Rapid restoration of colonic goblet cells induced by a hydrolyzed diet containing probiotics in experimental malnutrition.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of the addition of probiotic bacteria to a hydrolyzed diet on the recovery of goblet cells during renutrition in an animal model of malnutrition.


METHODS
Twenty-six male Wistar rats (200-250g) were included in the study. Six were kept under normal conditions (sham group) while twenty received an aproteic diet for 15 days, and were randomized thereafter to receive a hydrolyzed diet containing (n=6; probiotic group) or not (n=6; hydrolyzed group) probiotics (10(6) cfu/g of Streptococcus thermophilus e Lactobacillus helveticus); or immediately killed (n=8; aproteic group). Histological slides containing cecal and sigmoid biopsies were used to counting the number of goblet cells and the goblet cells/colonocytes ratio.


RESULTS
Malnutrition diminished the population of goblet cells in all sites. Goblet cells/colonocytes ratio of the probiotic group was significantly greater than hydrolyzed group at the ceccum (0.39 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.34 +/-0.02; p=0.02). Only rats fed with probiotics showed complete restoration of the normal goblet cells/colonocytes ratio at the sigmoid (0.37 +/- 0,02 vs. 0.22 +/- 0,03; p<0,001).


CONCLUSIONS
Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus added to a renutrition diet enhance the recovery of mucosal atrophy induced by malnutrition and especially induce a rapid restoration of goblet cells population in the malnourished colonic mucosa.
Dock-Nascimento
Diana Borges
DB
Department of Surgery, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Junqueira
Kelly
K
Aguilar-Nascimento
José Eduardo de
JE
D000818:Animals; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000502:physiology*; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000502:physiology; D052198:Lactobacillus helveticus / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D004044:Dietary Proteins