Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is a major member of the Firmicutes phylum and one of the most abundant bacteria in the healthy human microbiota. F. prausnitzii depletion has been reported in several intestinal disorders, and more consistently in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. Despite its importance in human health, only few microbiological studies have been performed to isolate novel F. prausnitzii strains in order to better understand the biodiversity and physiological diversity of this beneficial commensal species. In this study, we described a protocol to isolate novel F. prausnitzii strains from feces of healthy volunteers as well as a deep molecular and metabolic characterization of these isolated strains. These F. prausnitzii strains were classified in two phylogroups and three clusters according to 16S rRNA sequences and results support that they would belong to two different genomospecies or genomovars as no genome sequencing has been performed in this work. Differences in enzymes production, antibiotic resistance and immunomodulatory properties were found to be strain-dependent. So far, all F. prausnitzii isolates share some characteristic such as (i) the lack of epithelial cells adhesion, plasmids, anti-microbial, and hemolytic activity and (ii) the presence of DNAse activity. Furthermore, Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) production was assessed for the novel isolates as these products influence intestinal homeostasis. Indeed, the butyrate production has been correlated to the capacity to induce IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) but not to the ability to block IL-8 secretion in TNF-α-stimulated HT-29 cells, reinforcing the hypothesis of a complex anti-inflammatory pathway driven by F. prausnitzii. Altogether, our results suggest that some F. prausnitzii strains could represent good candidates as next-generation probiotic.

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is an anti-inflammatory commensal bacterium identified on the basis of human clinical data. The mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects are still unknown. Gnotobiotic mice harboring F. prausnitzii (A2-165) and Escherichia coli (K-12 JM105) were subjected to 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced acute colitis. The inflammatory colitis scores and a gas chromatography-time of flight (GC/TOF) mass spectrometry-based metabolomic profile were monitored in blood, ileum, cecum, colon, and feces in gnotobiotic mice. The potential anti-inflammatory metabolites were tested in vitro. We obtained stable E. coli and F. prausnitzii-diassociated mice in which E. coli primed the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), allowing a durable and stable establishment of F. prausnitzii. The disease activity index, histological scores, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and serum cytokine levels were significantly lower in the presence of F. prausnitzii after TNBS challenge. The protective effect of F. prausnitzii against colitis was correlated to its implantation level and was linked to overrepresented metabolites along the GIT and in serum. Among 983 metabolites in GIT samples and serum, 279 were assigned to known chemical reactions. Some of them, belonging to the ammonia (α-ketoglutarate), osmoprotective (raffinose), and phenolic (including anti-inflammatory shikimic and salicylic acids) pathways, were associated with a protective effect of F. prausnitzii, and the functional link was established in vitro for salicylic acid. We show for the first time that F. prausnitzii is a highly active commensal bacterium involved in reduction of colitis through in vivo modulation of metabolites along the GIT and in the peripheral blood.

The spent culture supernatant of the human Lactobacillus acidophilus strain LB produces an antibacterial activity against a wide range of gram-negative and gram-positive pathogens. It decreased the in vitro viability of Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. In contrast, it did not inhibit lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. The activity was heat stable and relatively sensitive to enzymatic treatments and developed under acidic conditions. The antimicrobial activity was independent of lactic acid production. Activity against S. typhimurium SL1344 infecting human cultured intestinal Caco-2 cells was observed as it was in the conventional C3H/He/oujco mouse model with S. typhimurium C5 infection and oral treatment with the LB spent culture supernatant.

The aim of this study was to compare the antagonistic properties of Lactobacillus casei GG exerted in vitro against Salmonella typhimurium C5 in a cellular model, cultured enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells, to those exerted in vivo in an animal model, C3H/He/Oujco mice. Our results show that a 1-h contact between the invading strain C5 and either the culture or the supernatant of L. casei GG impeded the invasion by the Salmonella strain in Caco-2 cells, without modifying the viability of the strain. After neutralization at pH 7, no inhibition of the invasion by C5 was observed. The antagonistic activity of L. casei GG was examined in C3H/He/Oujco mice orally infected with C5 as follows: (i) L. casei GG was given daily to conventional animals as a probiotic, and (ii) it was given once to germ-free animals in order to study the effect of the population of L. casei GG established in the different segments of the gut. In vivo experiments show that after a single challenge with C5, this strain survives and persists at a higher level in the feces of the untreated conventional mice than in those of the treated group. In L. casei GG germ-free mice, establishment of L. casei GG in the gut significantly delayed the occurrence of 100% mortality of the animals (15 days after C5 challenge versus 9 days in germ-free mice [P < 0.01]). Cecal colonization level and translocation rate of C5 to the mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, and liver were significantly reduced during the first 2 days post-C5 challenge, although the L. casei GG population level in the gut dramatically decreased in these animals. Recently, Klaenhammer (21) proposed that Lactobacillus strains with well-defined properties should be selected and characterized for specific use. Among Lactobacillus strains used in fermented milks, Lactobacillus casei GG has been shown to promote clinical recovery from acute rotavirus diarrhea in infants (17-20, 24) and from either antibiotic-associated or traveller's diarrhea in adults (27, 36). It has been previously reported that L. casei GG adheres to enterocyte-like cells in culture (11). It exerts an antagonistic effect against several bacteria and produces an unknown antimicrobial substance against Escherichia coli (37). But the mechanism of action of L. casei GG in vivo remains unknown. We have recently reported that selected, adhering human L. acidophilus strains inhibit both cell association and cell entry of a variety of enterovirulent bacteria within human cultured enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells (5-8). In the present work, we have compared the antagonistic effect observed in vitro in a cellular model (Caco-2 cells) to that observed in an in vivo animal model (C3H/He/ Oujco mice). First, we studied whether L. casei GG can inhibit the invasion of cultured enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells by Salmonella typhimurium C5 (28). Second, the antagonistic activity of L. casei GG was examined in C3H/He/Oujco mice orally infected with S. typhimurium C5. Two experimental designs were used: (i) L. casei GG given daily to conventional animals as a ...

The adhering human Lactobacillus acidophilus strain LA1 inhibits the cell association and cell invasion of enteropathogens in cultured human intestinal Caco-2 cells (M. F. Bernet, D. Brassard, J. R. Neeser, and A. L. Servin, Gut 35:483-489, 1994). Here, we demonstrate that strain LA1 developed its antibacterial activity in conventional or germ-free mouse models orally infected by Salmonella typhimurium. We present evidence that the spent culture supernatant of strain LA1 (LA1-SCS) contained antibacterial components active against S. typhimurium infecting the cultured human intestinal Caco-2 cells. The LA1-SCS antibacterial activity was observed in vitro against a wide range of gram-negative and gram-positive pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, S. typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter cloacae. By contrast, no activity was observed against species of the normal gut flora, such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. The LA1-SCS antibacterial activity was insensitive to proteases and independent of lactic acid production. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bacteria. L. acidophilus LA1 and LA10 were from the Nestec (Lausanne, Switzerland) collection. The bacteria were grown under anaerobic conditions (Gaspak H 2 ϩCO 2) in De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) broth (Biokar Diagnostic, Beauvais, France) for 24 h at 37°C. Spent culture supernatant (LA1-SCS) was obtained by centrifugation at 10.000 ϫ g for 30 min at 4°C. Centrifuged LA1-SCS was passed through a sterile 0.22-m-pore-size Millex GS filter unit (Millipore, Molsheim, France). Filtered LA1-SCS was checked for the absence of LA1 bacteria by being plated on tryptic soy agar (TSA) to confirm the absence of bacterial colonies. Concentrated LA1-SCS were obtained by freeze-drying. Salmonella typhimurium SL1344 was a gift of B. A. D. Stocker (Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.) (12); S. typhimurium C5 was provided by M. Y. Popoff (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France) (40). Listeria monocytogenes EGD [HLY ϩ ] was provided by J. L. Gaillard (INSERM U411, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France). Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae were clinical isolates provided by A. Darfeuille-Michaud (Université Clermont I) (32). Shigella flexneri FL5M90T was provided by P. Sansonetti (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France). Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus group D, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were stock clinical isolates from the microbiological laboratory of the Faculté de Pharmacie,

Background-Escherichia coli is part of the normal gastrointestinal microflora which exerts a barrier eVect against enteropathogens. Several E coli strains develop a protective eVect against other Enterobacteriaceae. Aims-Two E coli strains, EM0, a human faecal strain, and JM105 K-12 were tested for their ability to prevent in vivo and in vitro infection by Salmonella typhimurium C5. Methods-Inhibition of C5 cell invasion by E coli was investigated in vitro using Caco-2/TC7 cells. The protective eVect of E coli was examined in vivo in germfree or conventional C3H/He/Oujco mice orally infected by the lethal strain C5. Results-EMO expresses haemolysin and cytotoxic necrotising factor in vitro. In vitro, the two strains did not prevent the growth of C5 by secreted microcins or modified cell invasion of C5. In vivo, establishment of EM0 or JM105 in the gut of germfree mice resulted in a significant increase in the number of surviving mice: 11/12 and 9/12, respectively, at 58 days after infection (2×10 6 /mouse) versus 0/12 in control germfree group at 13 days after infection. Colonisation level and translocation rate of C5 were significantly reduced during the three days after infection. In contrast, no reduction in faecal C5 excretion was observed in C5 infected conventional mice (1×10 8 /mouse) receiving the EM0 or JM105 cultures daily. Conclusions-Establishment of E coli strains, which do not display antimicrobial activity, protects germfree mice against infection and delays the establishment of C5 in the gut. Possible mechanisms of defence are discussed. (Gut 2001;49:47-55)

Fourteen microbial strains isolated from conventional rats were inoculated into axenic rats and mice receiving identical diets. The populations of these organisms which became established in the feces of gnotobiotic adult recipient rats and mice were quite similar. The only major difference was that one strain, belonging to the genus Clostridium, disappeared from the feces of gnotobiotic mice, whereas this strain became established in gnotobiotic rats. Most of the strictly anaerobic strains were absent or present only in small numbers before weaning in young rats and mice. A clear-cut barrier effect against Salmonella typhimurium was found in adult gnotobiotic mice colonized with a complex flora derived from a conventional chicken. The microflora established in these recipient mice exerted the same barrier effect when further transferred into axenic chickens. Inoculation of feces from a human donor into adult gnotobiotic recipient mice produced colonization by several strains from the donor, whereas other strains, belonging to the genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Clostridium were present in the donor, but did not persist in recipient mice. In these mice, nonetheless, the colonizing human fecal flora exerted an effective barrier against a toxigenic strain of Clostridium difficile. This barrier effect spontaneously disappeared several weeks later. Administration of clindamycin to the recipient mice led to large variations in the number of viable cells of C. difficile.

Self protection of host cells against inadvertent injury resulting from attack by autologous complement proteins is well reported for vascular epithelium. In intestinal epithelium, the expression of C complement proteins and regulatory proteins remains currently poorly reported. This study looked at the distribution of C complement proteins and regulatory decay accelerating factor (DAF) in four cultured human intestinal cell lines of embryogenic or colon cancer origins. C3 and C4 proteins and DAF were widely present in human colon adenocarcinoma T84, HT-29 glc-+ cells compared with human embryonic INT407 cells. In contrast, no expression of C5, C5b-9, and CR1 was seen for any of the cell lines. Taking advantage of the Caco-2 cells, which spontaneously differentiate in culture, it was seen that the C3, C4, and DAF were present in undifferentiated cells and that their expression increased as a function of the cell differentiation. These results, taken together with other reports on the presence of C complement proteins and DAF in the intestinal cells infer that the expression of regulatory C complement proteins develops in parallel with the expression of C proteins to protect these cells against the potential injury resulting from the activation of these local C proteins. Moreover, the finding that the pathogenic C1845 Escherichia coli binds to the membrane bound DAF in the cultured human intestinal cells synthetising locally C proteins and regulatory C proteins supports the hypothesis that E coli could promote inflammatory disorders by blocking local regulatory protein function. (Gut 1996; 38: 248-253)