title: Pediocin A modulates intestinal microflora metabolism in swine in vitro intestinal fermentations.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro the effects of pediocin A [a bacteriocin produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Pediococcus pentosaceus FBB61] on microbial metabolism in the small and large intestine of pigs. Pediocin A was partially purified by ion exchange chromatography and added to an in vitro fermentation system. The intestinal inoculum was collected from pigs immediately after slaughter, diluted with a buffer, and dispensed into fermentation syringes and vessels of the 2 experimental groups: 1) Bac+ = cecal liquor + predigested diet + pediocin A (final concentration 160 activity units/mL); 2) Bac- = cecal liquor + predigested diet + partially purified supernatant of P. pentosaceus FBB61-2. Intestinal microbial growth was monitored using the cumulative gas production technique; the kinetics of fermentation, bacterial counts, VFA, ammonia, polyamines, and p-cresol production were analyzed. Pediocin A had almost no effects on small intestine fermentation parameters, whereas in the cecum pediocin A decreased gas production (-16%; P < 0.05), ammonia, and VFA production (-52 and -21%, respectively, after 24 h; P < 0.001) compared with the control group. Significant inhibition of clostridia and LAB occurred in cecal fermentations: the Bac+ group yielded a decreased number of clostridia and LAB in cecal fermentations (8.19 and 7.80 cfu/mL, respectively) compared with Bac- (9.32 and 8.95 cfu/mL, respectively; P < 0.001). The low clostridia counts in the pediocin-treated group may also explain the reduced concentration of the carcinogenic compound p-cresol (-88%; P < 0.01). Our results suggest that pediocin A could be an alternative to replace antibiotic growth promoters for the prophylaxis of enteric diseases and to improve production of farm animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Morphophysiology and Animal Production (DIMORFIPA), University of Bologna, 40064, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Casadei
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grilli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piva
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000378:metabolism; D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005285:Fermentation; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D000070017:Pediocins; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001430:Bacteriocins; D000070017:Pediocins; C094638:pediocin A; D000641:Ammonia