[Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG inhibits Cronobacter-induced meningitis in neonatal rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ( LGG) against Cronobacter-induced meningitis in neonatal rats.


METHODS
The cell adhesion and invasion capacities of Cronobacter were assayed in Caco-2 cells, and the optimal time length and concentration of the bacterium for infection were determined. The suppressive effects of LGG on the adhesion and invasion of Cronobacter in caco-2 cells were tested by competitive and exclusion experiments, and its inhibitory effect against Cronobacter-induced meningitis was evaluated in neonatal rats.


RESULTS
Cronobacter showed aggressive adhesion to caco-2 cells with an optimal infection time of 3 h. LGG produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of Cronobacter adhesion and invasion by competing with and excluding the latter for cell adhesion. In neonatal rats, LGG showed an obvious preventive effect and also a moderate therapeutic effect against Cronobacter-induced meningitis.


CONCLUSIONS
LGG can inhibit Cronobacter entry across the intestinal barrier to achieve preventive and therapeutic effects against Cronobacter-induced meningitis.
Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. E-mail: nkhyn@163.com.
Liang
L
Zhong
Ruqin
R
Lin
Beiguo
B
Long
Xianbo
X
Wu
Hongying
H
Fan
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D059126:Cronobacter / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000628:therapy*; D019936:Probiotics; D051381:Rats