HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 292/1/G315    most recent 00265.2006v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (20) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Caballero-Franco, C. Articles by Chadee, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Caballero-Franco, C. Articles by Chadee, K.

MUCOSAL BIOLOGY

The VSL#3 probiotic formula induces mucin gene expression and secretion in colonic epithelial cells

¹Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Saint Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada; ²University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; and ³Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Submitted 16 June 2006 ; accepted in final form 13 September 2006

Several studies have stressed the importance of the microbiota in the maintenance of the gastrointestinal epithelium. Administration of probiotic bacteria, supplements composed of microbiota constituents, was previously shown to diminish symptoms in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases. This raises the possibility that probiotics may play an active role in enhancing the intestinal barrier at the mucosal surface. In this study, we investigated whether the clinically tested VSL#3 probiotic formula and/or its secreted components can augment the protective mucus layer in vivo and in vitro. For in vivo studies, Wistar rats were orally administered the probiotic mixture VSL#3 on a daily basis for seven days. After treatment, basal luminal mucin content increased by 60%. In addition, we exposed isolated rat colonic loops to the VSL#3 probiotic formula, which significantly stimulated colonic mucin (MUC) secretion and MUC2 gene expression; however, MUC1 and MUC3 gene expression were only slightly elevated. The effect of the VSL#3 mucin secretagogue was also tested in vitro by use of LS 174T colonic epithelial cells. In contrast to the animal studies, cultured cells incubated with VSL#3 bacteria did not exhibit increased mucin secretion. However, the bacterial secreted products contained in the conditioned media stimulated a remarkable mucin secretion effect. Among the three bacterial groups (Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, and Streptococci) contained in VSL#3, the Lactobacillus species were the strongest potentiator of mucin secretion in vitro. A preliminary characterization of the putative mucin secretagogue suggested that it was a heat-resistant soluble compound, which is not sensitive to protease and DNase treatment. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex and beneficial interaction between colonic epithelial cells and intestinal bacteria.

probiotics; intestinal mucosa; mucin secretion; mucin secretagogue

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Rahimi, J. L. Grimes, O. Fletcher, E. Oviedo, and B. W. Sheldon Effect of a direct-fed microbial (Primalac) on structure and ultrastructure of small intestine in turkey poults Poult. Sci., March 1, 2009; 88(3): 491 - 503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]