Bifidobacterium infantis35624 modulates host inflammatory processes beyond the gut

Abstract

Certain therapeutic microbes, including Bifidobacteria infantis (B. infantis) 35624 exert beneficial immunoregulatory effects by mimicking commensal-immune interactions; however, the value of these effects in patients with non-gastrointestinal inflammatory conditions remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the impact of oral administration of B. infantis 35624, for 6‒8 weeks on inflammatory biomarker and plasma cytokine levels in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) (n = 22), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (n = 48) and psoriasis (n = 26) in three separate randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled interventions. Additionally, the effect of B. infantis 35624 on immunological biomarkers in healthy subjects (n = 22) was assessed. At baseline, both gastrointestinal (UC) and non-gastrointestinal (CFS and psoriasis) patients had significantly increased plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) compared with healthy volunteers. B. infantis 35624 feeding resulted in reduced plasma CRP levels in all three inflammatory disorders compared with placebo. Interestingly, plasma TNF-α was reduced in CFS and psoriasis while IL-6 was reduced in UC and CFS. Furthermore, in healthy subjects, LPS-stimulated TNF-α and IL-6 secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was significantly reduced in the B. infantis 35624-treated groups compared with placebo following eight weeks of feeding. These results demonstrate the ability of this microbe to reduce systemic pro-inflammatory biomarkers in both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal conditions. In conclusion, these data show that the immunomodulatory effects of the microbiota in humans are not limited to the mucosal immune system but extend to the systemic immune system.

Exploring the role of the microbiota member Bifidobacterium in modulating immune-linked diseases

“…In another short-term study, B. longum subsp. infantis 35 624 administered to UC patients for 6 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in C-reactive protein and a non-statistically significant reduction in IL-6 when compared with the baseline [70]. While this study indicated a decrease in inflammatory markers, no clinical outcomes were measured and therefore it is not possible to conclude that this strain is effective in the treatment of UC.…”

Effect of Probiotics on Central Nervous System Functions in Animals and Humans: A Systematic Review

“…All of these probiotics are regarded as "good" bacteria, presumably inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria or pathogens and/or improving the immune system. [67][68][69] These probiotics were also found to reduce the symptoms of gastrointestinal disease, such as irritable bowel syndrome. 15,16,58,70 Probiotics may play an important role in gut-brain axis communication, thereby benefiting both the brain and the gut.…”

Probiotics as regulators of inflammation: A review

“…There also are a limited number of studies demonstrating that supplementation with certain probiotics significantly reduced hs-CRP levels in adults that were healthy [59], pregnant [60], critically ill [61] or had inflammatory bowel disease [62] as well as other inflammatory disorders (e.g., ulcerative colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome and psoriasis) [63] and type 2 diabetes [64], suggesting that they could have a widespread anti-inflammatory effect that is clinically relevant. Considerable heterogeneity exists in the clinical trial design published to date making it difficult to determine the exact dosing and strains of probiotics needed to ensure maximal therapeutic benefits in specific clinical conditions including inflammatory disease.…”