title: Intestinal Lactobacillus sp. is associated with some cellular and metabolic characteristics of blood in elderly people.
abstract: The higher counts or particular groups (Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes) of intestinal microbiota are related to host metabolic reactions, supporting a balance of human ecosystem. We further explored whether intestinal lactobacilli were associated with some principal cellular and metabolic markers of blood in 38 healthy >65-year-old persons. The questionnaire, routine clinical and laboratory data of blood indices as much as the oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and baseline diene conjugates in low-density lipoprotein (BDC-LDL) of blood sera were explored. The PCR-based intestinal Lactobacillus sp. composition and counts of cultivable lactobacilli (LAB) were tested. The facultative heterofermentative lactobacilli (Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus paracasei) were the most frequent (89 and 97%, respectively) species found, while Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus reuteri were present in almost half of the elderly persons. The number of species simultaneously colonizing the individuals ranged from 1 to 7 (median 4). In elderly consuming probiotics the LAB counts were significantly higher than in these not consuming (median 7.8, range 4.2-10.8 vs. median 6.3, range 3.3-9.7 log cfu/g; p=0.005), adjusted (OR=1.71, CI95 1.04-2.82; p=0.035) for age and body mass index (BMI). The colonization by L. acidophilus was negatively related (r=-0.367, p=0.0275) to L. reuteri, staying significant after adjusting for age, sex and BMI (OR=0.16, CI95 0.04-0.73; p=0.018). However, the blood glucose concentration showed a tendency for a negative correlation for colonization with Lactobacillus fermentum (r=-0.309, p=0.062) adjusted for BMI (Adj. R(2)=0.181; p=0.013) but not for age and sex. The higher white blood cells (WBC) count was positively related (r=0.434, p=0.007) to presence of Lactobacillus reuteri adjusted for age, sex and BMI (Adj. R(2)=0.193, p=0.027). The lower values of ox-LDL were predicted by higher counts of cultivable lactobacilli adjusted by sex, age and BMI (r = -0.389, p = 0.016; Adj. R(2)=0.184 p=0.029). In conclusion, the pilot study of elderly persons shows that the intestinal lactobacilli are tightly associated with WBC count, blood glucose and content of ox-LDL which all serve as risk markers in pathogenesis of inflammation, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Medical Faculty, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia. marika.mikelsaar@ut.ee
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikelsaar
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stsepetova
authors.forename: Pirje
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hütt
authors.forename: Helgi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kolk
authors.forename: Epp
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sepp
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lõivukene
authors.forename: Kersti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zilmer
authors.forename: Mihkel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zilmer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004957:Estonia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein