title: VSL#3 probiotic differently influences IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cell status and function.
abstract: The data here reported introduce the wound-healing assay as a tool for testing probiotics aimed at protecting gastrointestinal mucosal surfaces and to verify the consistency of their manufacturing. At the scope, we compared the in vitro effects of two multi-strain high concentration formulations both commercialized under the same brand VSL#3 but sourced from different production sites (USA and Italy) on a non-transformed small-intestinal epithelial cell line, IEC-6. The effects on cellular morphology, viability, migration, and H2O2-induced damage, were assessed before and after the treatment with both VSL#3 formulations. While the USA-sourced product ("USA-made") VSL#3 did not affect monolayer morphology and cellular density, the addition of bacteria from the Italy-derived product ("Italy-made") VSL#3 caused clear morphological cell damage and strongly reduced cellularity. The treatment with "USA-made" lysate led to a higher rate of wounded monolayer healing, while the addition of "Italy-made" bacterial lysate did not influence the closure rate as compared to untreated cells. While lysates from "USA-made" VSL#3 clearly enhanced the formation of elongated and aligned stress fibers, "Italy-made" lysates had not similar effect. "USA-made" lysate was able to cause a total inhibition of H2O2-induced cytotoxic effect whereas "Italy-made" VSL#3 lysate was unable to protect IEC-6 cells from H2O2-induced damage. ROS generation was also differently influenced, thus supporting the hypotesis of a protective action of "USA-made" VSL#3 lysates, as well as the idea that "Italy-made" formulation was unable to prevent significantly the H2O2-induced oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cinque
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Evtoski
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological and Biotechnological Sciences, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jr Santini
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological and Biotechnological Sciences, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falone
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological and Biotechnological Sciences, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.|Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center for Biotechnology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.|National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), Assergi, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cimini
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological and Biotechnological Sciences, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.|Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT) -National Research Council (CNR), L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amicarelli
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cifone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000592:standards*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide
keywords: IEC-6 cell line; VSL#3; cell viability and death; intestinal epithelium wound healing; oxidative stress