Beneficial bacteria can help prevent colitis

Researchers at Kyung Hee University in South Korea evaluated the efficacy of the probiotic Bifidobacterium adolescentis in treating or preventing high-fat diet-induced colitis in mice. Their findings were published in the journal Nutrition Research.

• A balanced gut microbiota is an essential part of human metabolism. Prolonged consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) elevates the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) production by gut microbiota, which increases the risk of developing metabolic and immune disorders such as obesity and colitis.
• The use of probiotics with anti-inflammatory properties has been suggested to counteract this effect.
• The researchers wanted to find out if B. adolescentis IM38 has an anti-colitic effect on mice with HFD-induced obesity.
• B. adolescentis IM38 inhibited nuclear factor–kappa B (NF-KB) activation in Caco-2 cells and peritoneal macrophages. It also inhibited Escherichia coli LPS production.
• The researchers gave mice IM38 (2 x 109 colony forming units (CFU)/mouse per day) orally for six weeks and observed the following outcomes:
  • IM38 inhibited whole-body and epididymal fat weight gain.
  • IM38 increased HFD-suppressed expression of interleukin (IL)-10 and tight junction proteins.
  • IM38 downregulated HFD-induced NF-KB activation and tumor necrosis factor expression in the colon.
  • IM38 inhibited differentiation into helper T17 cells and reduced IL-17 levels in the colon, but increased HFD-suppressed differentiation into regulatory T cells and IL-10 levels.
  • IM38 decreased HFD-induced LPS levels in blood and colonic fluid, as well as the Proteobacteria to Bacteroidetes ratio in the gut.

Based on these results, the researchers concluded that IM38 attenuates colitis by inhibiting HFD-induced LPS production in gut microbiota through the regulation of Proteobacteria to Bacteroidetes ratio and NF-KB activation in the colon. They also believe that IM38 may be a suitable ingredient of functional foods designed to treat or prevent colitis.

Journal Reference:

Lim SM, Kim DH. BIFIDOBACTERIUM ADOLESCENTIS IM38 AMELIORATES HIGH-FAT DIET-INDUCED COLITIS IN MICE BY INHIBITING NF-KB ACTIVATION AND LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCTION BY GUT MICROBIOTA. Nutrition Research. 2017;41:86–96. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2017.04.003