title: Probiotics increase T regulatory cells and reduce severity of experimental colitis in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of probiotics on regulating T regulatory cells and reducing the severity of experimental colitis in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty C57/BL mice were randomly divided into four groups. Colitis was induced in the mice using 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). After 10-d treatment with Bifico capsules (combined bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and enterococcus), body weight, colonic weight, colonic weight index, length of colon, and histological scores were evaluated. CD4+CD25+Foxp3+T cell in mesenteric lymph nodes were measured by flow cytometry, and cytokines in colonic tissue homogenates were analyzed by a cytometric bead array.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The colonic weight index and the colonic weight of colitis mice treated with Bifico were lower than that of TNBS-induced mice without treatment. However, colonic length and percent of body weight amplification were higher than in TNBS-induced mice without treatment. Compared with TNBS-induced mice without treatment, the level of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes, the expression of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in colonic tissues from colitis mice treated with Bifico were upregulated, and tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ were downregulated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Probiotics effectively treat experimental colitis by increasing CD4+CD25+Foxp3+T cell and regulating the balance of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the colonic mucosa.
authors: Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology College, Nanchang 330025, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors: Hai-Mei
authors: HM
authors: Zhao
authors: Xiao-Ying
authors: XY
authors: Huang
authors: Zhi-Qin
authors: ZQ
authors: Zuo
authors: Qi-Hong
authors: QH
authors: Pan
authors: Mei-Ying
authors: MY
authors: Ao
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Zhou
authors: Hong-Ning
authors: HN
authors: Liu
authors: Zhi-Yong
authors: ZY
authors: Liu
authors: Duan-Yong
authors: DY
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003106:Colon / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019936:Probiotics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; C508018:Il2ra protein, mouse; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
keywords: CD4CD25T cell; Cytokine; Probiotics; Ulcerative colitis