Effect of Whey-Based Culture Supernatant of <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus (johnsonii)</i> La1 on <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Infection in Humans

Abstract

Background: Specific strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus are known to inhibit intestinal cell adhesion and invasion by enterovirulent bacteria. As L. acidophilus can survive transiently in the human stomach, it may downregulate Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods: The ability of L. acidophilus (johnsonii) La1 supernatant to interfere with H. pylori bacterial growth, urease activity, and adhesion to epithelial cells was tested in vitro. Its effect on H. pylori infection in volunteers was monitored in a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial, using a drinkable, whey-based, La1 culture supernatant. H. pylori infected volunteers were treated 14 days with 50 ml of La1 supernatant four times a day combined with either omeprazole 20 mg four times a day or with placebo. Infection was assessed by breath test, endoscopy, and biopsy sampling, performed at inclusion, immediately at the end of the treatment (breath test only), and 4 weeks after the end of the treatment. Results: La1 supernatant inhibited H. pylori growth in vitro, regardless of previous binding of H. pylori to epithelial cells. In 20 subjects (8 females, 12 males, mean age 33.1 years) a marked decrease in breath test values was observed immediately after treatment with La1 supernatant, both in the omeprazole and in the placebo group (median 12.3 vs. 28.8 and 9.4 vs. 20.4, respectively; p < 0.03). In both treatment groups, breath test values remained low 6 weeks after treatment (omeprazole treated 19.2, placebo treated 8.3; p < 0.03 vs. pretreatment), but the persistence of H. pylori infection was confirmed in gastric biopsies. Conclusion: La1 culture supernatant shown to be effective in vitro has a partial, acid-independent long-term suppressive effect on H. pylori in humans.

Lactobacillus -containing probiotic supplementation increases Helicobacter pylori eradication rate: evidence from a meta-analysis

“…Secondly, it is concerning the secreted metabolites especially lactic acid produced by lactobacillus suppressing urease activity of H. pylori (34,35). Thirdly, the mechanism is that lactobacillus decreased the H. pylori load in the gastric mucosa through the stabilization of the mucosal barrier (36,37), to which the mucin secretion is the main approach, and it probably results from mucin gene allele mutation and expression (35,38,39). Another mechanism is proposed to be the immunologic response which reduces inflammatory chemokine expression and lymphocyte infiltration (35,(40)(41)(42).…”

Systematic review: are probiotics useful in controlling gastric colonization by Helicobacter pylori?

“…30,32 35 Furthermore, the intake of yogurt containing this latter strain protected rats in a dose-dependent manner against acute gastric lesions induced by oral administration of HCl, compared with the administration of non-fermented milk. 36 The size of the gastric lesions was decreased by yogurt and this was associated with significantly increased levels of PGE2 in the gastric mucosa.…”

“…30 The effect of L. johnsonii La1 was further explored in asymptomatic infected school children by Cruchet et al in Chile. 48 In a double blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 252 of 326 children (77.3%) 5-16 years of age and H. pylori-positive by 13 C-UBT were allocated to one of five groups.…”

“…30 This inhibitory activity remained functional even when H. pylori was bound to HT-29 epithelial cells; furthermore, this activity was not observed with La10, another strain of L. johnsonii, indicating that it is strain-specific, and was independent of the presence of the cag pathogenicty island in H. pylori strains. The supernatant inhibitory activity was heat resistant, dialysable and not affected by 10 mM urea, being therefore compatible with the presence of a bacteriocin.…”

Antibacterial Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria against Helicobacter pylori Evidence by in vivo and in vitro Studies

“…There are several possible mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria can inhibit the adhesion of H. pylori (Lesbros-Pantoflickova et al, 2007). Certain lactobacilli such as L. johnsonii La1 (Michetti et al, 1999) or L. acidophilus LB (Coconnier et al, 1998) can exert their antiadhesion activity by secreting antimicrobial substances. In addition, strain such as L. reuteri (Mukai et al, 2002) can inhibit H. pylori growth by competing with adhesion sites.…”