title: Live and heat-killed probiotic: effects on chronic experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in rats.
abstract: Although a series of studies have shown that VSL#3 (L plantarum, L Bulgaricus, L casei and L. acidophilus, B breve, B longum and B infantis and S salivarius subspecies thermophilus) can exert therapeutic effects on colitis, whether heat-killed VSL#3 also can exert similar effects has never been tested. The aim of the study was to investigate whether heat-killed VSL#3 exert therapeutic effects in chronic experimental colitis by inhibiting STAT3 pathway. Chronic experimental colitis was induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in rats. Rats underwent gavage once daily for seven days with heat-killed VSL#3 (0.6 g/kg/day). The disease activity index (DAI), histological score, colon length and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was observed. Expression of inflammatory related mediators (STAT3, P-STAT3) and cytokines (IL-6, IL-23) in colonic tissue were detected. The results showed that live and heat-killed VSL#3 have identical anti-inflammatory effects by the assessed DAI, colon length, histological score and MPO activity. Live and heat-killed VSL#3 results in reduced IL-6, IL-23, STAT3 and P-STAT3 expression in colonic tissue. Heat-killed VSL#3 have showed significant anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing STAT3 pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Li-Xuan
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Sang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Bing-Yuan
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Xin
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiang
keywords: Probiotic; chronic experimental colitis; dextran sulfate sodium