Oral administration of antigens from intestinal flora anaerobic bacteria reduces the severity of experimental acute colitis in BALB/c mice

Abstract

Homeostasis between indigenous intestinal flora and host response may be broken in inflammatory bowel disease. The present study explores whether repeated oral administration of intestinal flora antigens can protect mice against dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)‐induced colitis. Sonicates of Gram‐positive, Gram‐negative, or anaerobic resident bacteria isolated from mouse intestinal flora were fed to BALB/c mice by gastric gavage, with or without cholera toxin. After four weekly doses of 1 mg of these antigen preparations (or of PBS as control), DSS colitis was induced. One week later colitis was evaluated by clinical scores and histology. Mice fed a pool of the three sonicates had decreased inflammation scores (5 (1–14); median (range)) compared with PBS‐fed control animals (15 (7–19); P < 0·05). Decreased inflammation was observed in mice fed anaerobic bacteria antigens (7 (6–11); P < 0·05 versus control), but not in mice fed a pool of Gram‐positive and ‐negative sonicates (16 (12–16)). Inflammation scores of mice fed antigens with cholera toxin were similar to those of PBS‐fed control animals. DSS‐induced colitis can be suppressed by oral administration of normal intestinal flora antigens containing anaerobes.

The role of gut microbiota (commensal bacteria) and the mucosal barrier in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and cancer: contribution of germ-free and gnotobiotic animal models of human diseases

“…We have shown that the severity of dextran sulfate sodium-induced intestinal inflammation in BALB/c mice is reduced by oral administration of a sonicated microbiota containing anaerobic bacteria. 78 Furthermore, we found that this effect could be modulated via the manipulation of the gut microbiota and immunomodulation of the mucosal and the systemic immune response. 79 Thus, the mechanisms of this protective and therapeutic effect should be elucidated more precisely, and this novel approach may be used for the development of a potential vaccine.…”

Infection with a Helminth Parasite Prevents Experimental Colitis via a Macrophage-Mediated Mechanism

“…It is thought that DSS (a sulfated polymer) induces mucosal injury and inflammation initially through a direct toxic effect on epithelial cells, allowing intestinal bacteria to penetrate the injured mucosa and perpetuate mucosal inflammation (39). Disease in the DSS model is not dependent on T or B cells, although both Th1 and Th2 cells have both been shown to influence the later phases of disease (40,41).…”

The application of probiotic fermented milks in cancer and intestinal inflammation

“…This fact is supported by the reduction or absence of intestinal inflammation in TNBS or dextran sulfate sodium models of colitis using antibiotic-treated and germfree animals (17)(18)(19) . In the yoghurt-fed mice group, the basal sample (after 10 d), on the same day of TNBS inoculation, was compared with the sample obtained from a control group.…”