title: Supplementation withLactobacillus plantarumWCFS1 Prevents Decline of Mucus Barrier in Colon of Accelerated AgingErcc1-/Δ7Mice.
abstract: Although it is clear that probiotics improve intestinal barrier function, little is known about the effects of probiotics on the aging intestine. We investigated effects of 10-week bacterial supplementation ofLactobacillus plantarumWCFS1,Lactobacillus caseiBL23, orBifidobacterium breveDSM20213 on gut barrier and immunity in 16-week-old accelerated agingErcc1-/Δ7mice, which have a median lifespan of ~20 weeks, and their wild-type littermates. The colonic barrier inErcc1-/Δ7mice was characterized by a thin (< 10 μm) mucus layer.L. plantarumprevented this decline in mucus integrity inErcc1-/Δ7mice, whereasB. breveexacerbated it. Bacterial supplementations affected the expression of immune-related genes, including Toll-like receptor 4. Regulatory T cell frequencies were increased in the mesenteric lymph nodes ofL. plantarum- andL. casei-treatedErcc1-/Δ7mice.L. plantarum- andL. casei-treatedErcc1-/Δ7mice showed increased specific antibody production in a T cell-dependent immune responsein vivo. By contrast, the effects of bacterial supplementation on wild-type control mice were negligible. Thus, supplementation withL. plantarum- but not withL. caseiandB. breve -prevented the decline in the mucus barrier inErcc1-/Δ7mice. Our data indicate that age is an important factor influencing beneficial or detrimental effects of candidate probiotics. These findings also highlight the need for caution in translating beneficial effects of probiotics observed in young animals or humans to the elderly.
authors: Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands; Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; Gut Health and Food Safety, Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK.
authors: Adriaan A
authors: AA
authors: van Beek
authors: Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; Host Microbe Interactomics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Sovran
authors: Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Floor
authors: F
authors: Hugenholtz
authors: Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , Netherlands.
authors: Ben
authors: B
authors: Meijer
authors: Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , Netherlands.
authors: Joanne A
authors: JA
authors: Hoogerland
authors: Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , Netherlands.
authors: Violeta
authors: V
authors: Mihailova
authors: Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , Netherlands.
authors: Corine
authors: C
authors: van der Ploeg
authors: Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Clara
authors: C
authors: Belzer
authors: Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Mark V
authors: MV
authors: Boekschoten
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; CECAD Forschungszentrum, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany.
authors: Jan H J
authors: JH
authors: Hoeijmakers
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center , Rotterdam , Netherlands.
authors: Wilbert P
authors: WP
authors: Vermeij
authors: Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: de Vos
authors: Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; Host Microbe Interactomics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Jerry M
authors: JM
authors: Wells
authors: Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center , Rotterdam , Netherlands.
authors: Pieter J M
authors: PJ
authors: Leenen
authors: Gut Health and Food Safety, Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Nicoletti
authors: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center , Rotterdam , Netherlands.
authors: Rudi W
authors: RW
authors: Hendriks
authors: Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands; Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Huub F J
authors: HF
authors: Savelkoul
keywords: aging; immunity; intestinal barrier; microbiota; mucus; probiotics