Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Influenced by Postbiotics.

In recent years, commensal bacteria colonizing the human body have been recognized as important determinants of health and multiple pathologic conditions. Among the most extensively studied commensal bacteria are the gut microbiota, which perform a plethora of functions, including the synthesis of bioactive products, metabolism of dietary compounds, and immunomodulation, both through attenuation and immunostimulation. An imbalance in the microbiota population, i.e., dysbiosis, has been linked to many human pathologies, including various cancer types and neurodegenerative diseases. Targeting gut microbiota and microbiome-host interactions resulting from probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics is a growing opportunity for the effective treatment of various diseases. As more research is being conducted, the microbiome field is shifting from simple descriptive analysis of commensal compositions to more molecular, cellular, and functional studies. Insight into these mechanisms is of paramount importance for understanding and modulating the effects that microbiota, probiotics, and their derivatives exert on host health.

Effect of dietary mannan oligosaccharides and fructo-oligosaccharides on physico-chemical indices, antioxidant and oxidative stability of broiler chicken meat.

The objective of this present study was to investigate the potentiality of prebiotics (mannan oligosaccharides-MOS and fructo-oligosaccharides-FOS) in replacement of antibiotic growth promoter and their relationship with physico-chemical indices, antioxidant and oxidative stability and carcass traits of broiler chickens meat. Accordingly, 240 day-old broiler chicks of uniform body weight divided in 6 treatment groups with 5 replicate each (5 × 6 = 30) having 8 birds in each replicate. Six corn based dietary treatments were formulated viz. T1 (control diet), T2 (T1 + Bacitracin methylene di-salicylate @ 0.002%), T3 (T1 + 0.1% MOS), T4 (T1 + 0.2% MOS), T5 (T1 + 0.1% FOS), and T6 (T1 + 0.2% FOS). Significant (p < 0.05) increase in cut up part yields (%) and reduction in cholesterol and fat content in T4 (0.2% MOS) group. The water holding capacity (WHC) and extract release volume (ERV) were increase (p < 0.05) in 0.1 or 0.2% MOS supplemented group. DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy) was higher (p < 0.05) and lipid oxidation (free fatty acid and thio-barbituric acid reactive substances) was lower (p < 0.05) in T4 group. The standard plate count (SPC), staphylococcus and coliform counts were decreased (p < 0.05) in T3 or T4 group. Thus, it can be concluded that mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) may be incorporated at 0.2% level in diet for improved physico-chemical indices, antioxidant and oxidative stability and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens meat and it may be suitable replacer of antibiotic growth promoter.

Postbiotics, Metabolic Signaling, and Cancer.

Postbiotics are health-promoting microbial metabolites delivered as a functional food or a food supplement. They either directly influence signaling pathways of the body or indirectly manipulate metabolism and the composition of intestinal microflora. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide and even though the prognosis of patients is improving, it is still poor in the substantial part of the cases. The preventable nature of cancer and the importance of a complex multi-level approach in anticancer therapy motivate the search for novel avenues of establishing the anticancer environment in the human body. This review summarizes the principal findings demonstrating the usefulness of both natural and synthetic sources of postbotics in the prevention and therapy of cancer. Specifically, the effects of crude cell-free supernatants, the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, lactic acid, hydrogen sulfide, and ß-glucans are described. Contradictory roles of postbiotics in healthy and tumor tissues are highlighted. In conclusion, the application of postbiotics is an efficient complementary strategy to combat cancer.

Characterization of fructooligosaccharide metabolism and fructooligosaccharide-degrading enzymes in human commensal butyrate producers.

Butyrate produced by gut microbiota has multiple beneficial effects on host health, and oligosaccharides derived from host diets and glycans originating from host mucus are major sources of its production. A significant reduction of butyrate-producing bacteria has been reported in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancers. Although gut butyrate levels are important for host health, oligosaccharide metabolic properties in butyrate producers are poorly characterized. We studied the metabolic properties of fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) and other prebiotic oligosaccharides (i.e. raffinose and xylooligosaccharides; XOSs) in gut butyrate producers. 1-Kestose (kestose) and nystose, FOSs with degrees of polymerization of 3 and 4, respectively, were also included. Fourteen species of butyrate producers were divided into four groups based on their oligosaccharide metabolic properties, which are group A (two species) metabolizing all oligosaccharides tested, group F (four species) metabolizing FOSs but not raffinose and XOSs, group XR (four species) metabolizing XOSs and/or raffinose but not FOSs, and group N (four species) metabolizing none of the oligosaccharides tested. Species assigned to groups A and XR are rich glycoside hydrolase (GH) holders, whereas those in groups F and N are the opposite. In total, 17 enzymes assigned to GH32 were observed in nine of the 14 butyrate producers tested, and species that metabolized FOSs had at least one active GH32 enzyme. The GH32 enzymes were divided into four clusters by phylogenetic analysis. Heterologous gene expression analysis revealed that the GH32 enzymes in each cluster had similar FOS degradation properties within clusters, which may be linked to the conservation/substitution of amino acids to bind with substrates in GH32 enzymes. This study provides important knowledge to understand the impact of FOS supplementation on the activation of gut butyrate producers. Abbreviations: SCFA, short chain fatty acid; FOS, fructooligosaccharide; XOS, xylooligosaccharide; CAZy, Carbohydrate Active Enzymes; CBM, carbohydrate-binding module; PUL, polysaccharide utilization locus; S6PH sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase.

Effectiveness of probiotics, prebiotics, and prebiotic-like components in common functional foods.

The bioactive ingredients in commonly consumed foods include, but are not limited to, prebiotics, prebiotic-like components, probiotics, and postbiotics. The bioactive ingredients in functional foods have also been associated with beneficial effects on human health. For example, they aid in shaping of gut microflora and promotion of immunity. These functional components also contribute in preventing serious diseases such as cardiovascular malfunction and tumorigenesis. However, the specific mechanisms of these positive influences on human health are still under investigation. In this review, we aim to emphasize the major contents of probiotics, prebiotics, and prebiotic-like components commonly found in consumable functional foods, and we present an overview of direct and indirect benefits they provide on human health. The major contributors are certain families of metabolites, specifically short-chain fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids produced by probiotics, and prebiotics, or prebiotic-like components such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and vitamins that are found in functional foods. These functional ingredients in foods influence the gut microbiota by stimulating the growth of beneficial microbes and the production of beneficial metabolites that, in turn, have direct benefits to the host, while also providing protection from pathogens and maintaining a balanced gut ecosystem. The complex interactions that arise among functional food ingredients, human physiology, the gut microbiota, and their respective metabolic pathways have been found to minimize several factors that contribute to the incidence of chronic disease, such as inflammation oxidative stress.

Potential for enriching next-generation health-promoting gut bacteria through prebiotics and other dietary components.

The human intestinal commensal microbiota and associated metabolic products have long been regarded as contributors to host health. As the identity and activities of the various members of this community have become clearer, newly identified health-associated bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruminococcus bromii and Roseburia species, have emerged. Notably, the abundance of many of these bacteria is inversely correlated to several disease states. While technological and regulatory hurdles may limit the use of strains from these taxa as probiotics, it should be possible to utilize prebiotics and other dietary components to selectively enhance their growth in situ. Dietary components of potential relevance include well-established prebiotics, such as galacto-oligosaccharides, fructo-oligosaccharides and inulin, while other putative prebiotics, such as other oligosaccharides, polyphenols, resistant starch, algae and seaweed as well as host gut metabolites such as lactate and acetate, may also be applied with the aim of selectively and/or differentially affecting the beneficial bacterial community within the gastrointestinal environment. The present review provides an overview of the dietary components that could be applied in this manner.

Bifidobacterium adolescentis P2P3, a Human Gut Bacterium Having Strong Non-Gelatinized Resistant Starch-Degrading Activity.

Resistant starch (RS) is metabolized by gut microbiota and involved in the production of short-chain fatty acids, which are related to a variety of physiological and health effects. Therefore, the availability of RS as a prebiotic is a topic of interest, and research on gut bacteria that can decompose RS is also important. The objectives in this study were 1) to isolate a human gut bacterium having strong degradation activity on non-gelatinized RS, 2) to characterize its RS-degrading characteristics, and 3) to investigate its probiotic effects, including a growth stimulation effect on other gut bacteria and an immunomodulatory effect. Bifidobacterium adolescentis P2P3 showing very strong RS granule utilization activity was isolated. It can attach to RS granules and form them into clusters. It also utilizes high-amylose corn starch granules up to 63.3%, and efficiently decomposes other various types of commercial RS without gelatinization. In a coculture experiment, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron ATCC 29148, isolated from human feces, was able to grow using carbon sources generated from RS granules by B. adolescentis P2P3. In addition, B. adolescentis P2P3 demonstrated the ability to stimulate secretion of Th1 type cytokines from mouse macrophages in vitro that was not shown in other B. adolescentis. These results suggested that B. adolescentis P2P3 is a useful probiotic candidate, having immunomodulatory activity as well as the ability to feed other gut bacteria using RS as a prebiotic.

Probiotics and prebiotics in intestinal health and disease: from biology to the clinic.

Probiotics and prebiotics are microbiota-management tools for improving host health. They target gastrointestinal effects via the gut, although direct application to other sites such as the oral cavity, vaginal tract and skin is being explored. Here, we describe gut-derived effects in humans. In the past decade, research on the gut microbiome has rapidly accumulated and has been accompanied by increased interest in probiotics and prebiotics as a means to modulate the gut microbiota. Given the importance of these approaches for public health, it is timely to reiterate factual and supporting information on their clinical application and use. In this Review, we discuss scientific evidence on probiotics and prebiotics, including mechanistic insights into health effects. Strains of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces have a long history of safe and effective use as probiotics, but Roseburia spp., Akkermansia spp., Propionibacterium spp. and Faecalibacterium spp. show promise for the future. For prebiotics, glucans and fructans are well proven, and evidence is building on the prebiotic effects of other substances (for example, oligomers of mannose, glucose, xylose, pectin, starches, human milk and polyphenols).

Integrated In Vitro and In Silico Modeling Delineates the Molecular Effects of a Synbiotic Regimen on Colorectal-Cancer-Derived Cells.

By modulating the human gut microbiome, prebiotics and probiotics (combinations of which are called synbiotics) may be used to treat diseases such as colorectal cancer (CRC). Methodological limitations have prevented determining the potential combinatorial mechanisms of action of such regimens. We expanded our HuMiX gut-on-a-chip model to co-culture CRC-derived epithelial cells with a model probiotic under a simulated prebiotic regimen, and we integrated the multi-omic results with in silico metabolic modeling. In contrast to individual prebiotic or probiotic treatments, the synbiotic regimen caused downregulation of genes involved in procarcinogenic pathways and drug resistance, and reduced levels of the oncometabolite lactate. Distinct ratios of organic and short-chain fatty acids were produced during the simulated regimens. Treatment of primary CRC-derived cells with a molecular cocktail reflecting the synbiotic regimen attenuated self-renewal capacity. Our integrated approach demonstrates the potential of modeling for rationally formulating synbiotics-based treatments in the future.

Microbe-metabolite-host axis, two-way action in the pathogenesis and treatment of human autoimmunity.

The role of microorganism in human diseases cannot be ignored. These microorganisms have evolved together with humans and worked together with body's mechanism to maintain immune and metabolic function. Emerging evidence shows that gut microbe and their metabolites open up new doors for the study of human response mechanism. The complexity and interdependence of these microbe-metabolite-host interactions are rapidly being elucidated. There are various changes of microbial levels in models or in patients of various autoimmune diseases (AIDs). In addition, the relevant metabolites involved in mechanism mainly include short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids (BAs), and polysaccharide A (PSA). Meanwhile, the interaction between microbes and host genes is also a factor that must be considered. It has been demonstrated that human microbes are involved in the development of a variety of AIDs, including organ-specific AIDs and systemic AIDs. At the same time, microbes or related products can be used to remodel body's response to alleviate or cure diseases. This review summarizes the latest research of microbes and their related metabolites in AIDs. More importantly, it highlights novel and potential therapeutics, including fecal microbial transplantation, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Nonetheless, exact mechanisms still remain elusive, and future research will focus on finding a specific strain that can act as a biomarker of an autoimmune disease.

Inulin Ameliorates Alcoholic Liver Disease via Suppressing LPS-TLR4-Mψ Axis and Modulating Gut Microbiota in Mice.

BACKGROUND: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) represents a chronic liver disorder caused by alcohol abuse. Numerous studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a critical role in ALD pathogenesis. Application of prebiotic, probiotic, and dietary supplementation to the modulation of gut microbiota contributes to a novel approach to the management of ALD. Inulin, a natural prebiotic found in plants, can restore gut dysbiosis in ALD. However, the exact mechanism of dietary inulin in ALD remains largely unknown. METHODS: Sixty female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: pair-fed (PF) group (PF/CON); alcohol-fed (AF) group (AF/CON); PF with inulin (INU) group (PF/INU); and AF with INU group (AF/INU). All mice were fed with isocaloric modified Lieber-DeCarli liquid diets with or without alcohol. RESULTS: After 6 weeks of feeding, mice were euthanized and associated indications were investigated. The results showed that chronic ethanol (EtOH) intake led to the loss of body weights, abnormal levels of transaminases, and inflammatory indicators (lipopolysaccharide [LPS], interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-17A), while inulin administration ameliorated these effects. To further understand the underlying mechanism, we investigated macrophages (Mψs) and gut microbiota in diverse groups. The number of Mψs was reduced after dietary inulin treatment in chronic EtOH exposure. Hepatic Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4+ ) Mψs in AF/INU group were lower than AF/CON group. 16S rRNA sequencing and analysis of gut microbiota indicated the reduction of Allobaculum, Lactobacillus, and Lactococcus, as well as the increase of Parasutterella in AF group compared with PF control. Increased Allobaculum, Lactobacillus, and Lactococcus but reduced Parasutterella in AF/INU group were confirmed that dietary inulin rectified gut dysbiosis to attenuate ALD. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary inulin ameliorates ALD via suppressing LPS-TLR4-Mψ axis and modulating gut microbiota in mice, thus potentially provides theoretical foundation for inulin intervention in the prevention and treatment of ALD.

A New Method of Producing a Natural Antibacterial Peptide by Encapsulated Probiotics Internalized with Inulin Nanoparticles as Prebiotics.

Synbiotics are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics, which lead to synergistic benefits in host welfare. Probiotics have been used as an alternative to antibiotics. Among the probiotics, Pediococcus acidilactici (PA) has shown excellent antimicrobial activity against Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) as a major poultry pathogen and has improved the production performances of animals. Inulin is widely used as a prebiotic for the improvement of animal health and growth. The main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the antimicrobial activity of inulin nanoparticles (INs)-internalized PA encapsulated into alginate/chitosan/alginate (ACA) microcapsules (MCs) in future in vivo application. The prepared phthalyl INs (PINs) were characterized by DLS and FE-SEM. The contents of phthal groups in phthalyl inulin were estimated by ¹H-NMR measurement as 25.1 mol.-%. The sizes of the PINs measured by DLS were approximately 203 nm. Internalization into PA was confirmed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Antimicrobial activity of PIN-internalized probiotics encapsulated into ACA MCs was measured by co-culture antimicrobial assays on SG. PIN-internalized probiotics had a higher antimicrobial ability than that of ACA MCs loaded with PA/inulin or PA. Interestingly, when PINs were treated with PA and encapsulated into ACA MCs, as a natural antimicrobial peptide, pediocin was produced much more in the culture medium compared with other groups inulin-loaded ACA MCs and PA-encapsulated into ACA MCs.

Probiotics are a good choice in remission of inflammatory bowel diseases: A meta analysis and systematic review.

Altered gut bacteria and bacterial metabolic pathways are two important factors in initiation and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, efficacy of probiotics in remission of patients with IBD has not been characterized. This study was performed on the studies that specifically assessed the efficacy of probiotics in attaining clinical response on patients with various types of IBD. The efficacy of variant species of probiotics in different conditions and the influence of study quality in outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were also assessed. The RCTs were collected by searching in MEDLINE Web of Science and Google scholar. Then all studies were abstracted in abstraction form and the outcomes were analyzed with fixed-effect and mixed-effect models for assessment of efficacy of variant species of probiotics in subgroups of IBDs. Analysis of 9 trials showed that probiotics had not significant effect on Crohn's disease (CD) (p = 0.07) but analysis of 3 trials in children with IBD revealed a significant advantage (p < 0.01). Analysis of 18 trials revealed that probiotics in patients with Ulcerative colitis (UC) in different conditions have significant effects (p = 0.007). VSL#3 probiotics in patients with UC had significant effect (p < 0.01). Combination of Lactobacillus probiotic, prebiotics had significant effect (p = 0.03) only in patients with UC. Combination of Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus, and VSL#3 probiotics in CD had also a trend for efficiency (p = 0.057). In children with IBD, the combination of Lactobacillus with VSL#3 probiotics had significant effect (p < 0.01). Probiotics are beneficial in IBD, especially the combination ones in UC.

Prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides mitigate the adverse effects of iron fortification on the gut microbiome: a randomised controlled study in Kenyan infants.

OBJECTIVE: Iron-containing micronutrient powders (MNPs) reduce anaemia in African infants, but the current high iron dose (12.5 mg/day) may decrease gut Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacillaceae, and increase enteropathogens, diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections (RTIs). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a new MNP formula with prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) combined with a low dose (5 mg/day) of highly bioavailable iron. DESIGN: In a 4-month, controlled, double-blind trial, we randomised Kenyan infants aged 6.5-9.5 months (n=155) to receive daily (1) a MNP without iron (control); (2) the identical MNP but with 5 mg iron (2.5 mg as sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetate and 2.5 mg as ferrous fumarate) (Fe group); or (3) the identical MNP as the Fe group but with 7.5 g GOS (FeGOS group). RESULTS: Anaemia decreased by ≈50% in the Fe and FeGOS groups (p<0.001). Compared with the control or FeGOS group, in the Fe group there were (1) lower abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and higher abundances of Clostridiales (p<0.01); (2) higher abundances of virulence and toxin genes (VTGs) of pathogens (p<0.01); (3) higher plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (a biomarker of enterocyte damage) (p<0.05); and (4) a higher incidence of treated RTIs (p<0.05). In contrast, there were no significant differences in these variables comparing the control and FeGOS groups, with the exception that the abundance of VTGs of all pathogens was significantly lower in the FeGOS group compared with the control and Fe groups (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: A MNP containing a low dose of highly bioavailable iron reduces anaemia, and the addition of GOS mitigates most of the adverse effects of iron on the gut microbiome and morbidity in African infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02118402.

High Antioxidant Action and Prebiotic Activity of Hydrolyzed Spent Coffee Grounds (HSCG) in a Simulated Digestion-Fermentation Model: Toward the Development of a Novel Food Supplement.

Spent coffee grounds are a byproduct with a large production all over the world. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of a simulated digestion-fermentation treatment on hydrolyzed spent coffee grounds (HSCG) and to investigate the antioxidant properties of the digestion and fermentation products in the human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line. The potentially bioaccessible (soluble) fractions exhibited high chemoprotective activity in HepG2 cells against oxidative stress. Structural analysis of both the indigestible (insoluble) and soluble material revealed partial hydrolysis and release of the lignin components in the potentially bioaccessible fraction following simulated digestion-fermentation. A high prebiotic activity as determined from the increase in Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) following microbial fermentation of HSCG was also observed. These results pave the way toward the use of HSCG as a food supplement.

Microbial Interactions and Interventions in Colorectal Cancer.

Recently, several lines of evidence that indicate a strong link between the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and aspects of the gut microbiota have become apparent. However, it remains unclear how changes in the gut microbiota might influence carcinogenesis or how regional organization of the gut might influence the microbiota. In this review, we discuss several leading theories that connect gut microbial dysbiosis with CRC and set this against a backdrop of what is known about proximal-distal gut physiology and the pathways of CRC development and progression. Finally, we discuss the potential for gut microbial modulation therapies, for example, probiotics, antibiotics, and others, to target and improve gut microbial dysbiosis as a strategy for the prevention or treatment of CRC.

Prebiotics: A Novel Approach to Treat Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the fatal malignancies and is considered as the third leading cause of death. Mutations, genetic modifications, dietary aflatoxins, or impairments in the regulation of oncogenic pathways may bring about liver cancer. An effective barrier against hepatotoxins is offered by gut-liver axis as a change in gut permeability and expanded translocation of lipopolysaccharides triggers the activation of Toll-like receptors which stimulate the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. Prebiotics, nondigestible oligosaccharides, have a pivotal role to play when it comes to inducing an antitumor effect. A healthy gut flora balance is imperative to downregulation of inflammatory cytokines and reducing lipopolysaccharides induced endotoxemia, thus inducing the antitumor effect.

Gut microbiota modulation of chemotherapy efficacy and toxicity.

Evidence is growing that the gut microbiota modulates the host response to chemotherapeutic drugs, with three main clinical outcomes: facilitation of drug efficacy; abrogation and compromise of anticancer effects; and mediation of toxicity. The implication is that gut microbiota are critical to the development of personalized cancer treatment strategies and, therefore, a greater insight into prokaryotic co-metabolism of chemotherapeutic drugs is now required. This thinking is based on evidence from human, animal and in vitro studies that gut bacteria are intimately linked to the pharmacological effects of chemotherapies (5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, irinotecan, oxaliplatin, gemcitabine, methotrexate) and novel targeted immunotherapies such as anti-PD-L1 and anti-CLTA-4 therapies. The gut microbiota modulate these agents through key mechanisms, structured as the 'TIMER' mechanistic framework: Translocation, Immunomodulation, Metabolism, Enzymatic degradation, and Reduced diversity and ecological variation. The gut microbiota can now, therefore, be targeted to improve efficacy and reduce the toxicity of current chemotherapy agents. In this Review, we outline the implications of pharmacomicrobiomics in cancer therapeutics and define how the microbiota might be modified in clinical practice to improve efficacy and reduce the toxic burden of these compounds.

An In Vitro Approach to Study Effects of Prebiotics and Probiotics on the Faecal Microbiota and Selected Immune Parameters Relevant to the Elderly.

The aging process leads to alterations of gut microbiota and modifications to the immune response, such changes may be associated with increased disease risk. Prebiotics and probiotics can modulate microbiome changes induced by aging; however, their effects have not been directly compared. The aim of this study was to use anaerobic batch culture fermenters to assess the impact of various fermentable carbohydrates and microorganisms on the gut microbiota and selected immune markers. Elderly volunteers were used as donors for these experiments to enable relevance to an aging population. The impact of fermentation supernatants on immune markers relevant to the elderly were assessed in vitro. Levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α in peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture supernatants were measured using flow cytometry. Trans-galactooligosaccharides (B-GOS) and inulin both stimulated bifidobacteria compared to other treatments (p<0.05). Fermentation supernatants taken from faecal batch cultures supplemented with B-GOS, inulin, B. bifidum, L. acidophilus and Ba. coagulans inhibited LPS induced TNF-α (p<0.05). IL-10 production, induced by LPS, was enhanced by fermentation supernatants from faecal batch cultures supplemented with B-GOS, inulin, B. bifidum, L. acidophilus, Ba. coagulans and Bac. thetaiotaomicron (p<0.05). To conclude, prebiotics and probiotics could lead to potentially beneficial effects to host health by targeting specific bacterial groups, increasing saccharolytic fermentation and decreasing inflammation associated with aging. Compared to probiotics, prebiotics led to greater microbiota modulation at the genus level within the fermenters.

Probiotics and prebiotics in Crohn's disease therapies.

Therapeutic manipulation of gut microbiota has proven valuable in the management of ulcerative colitis and pouchitis. Despite some similarities among the various inflammatory bowel conditions, the probiotics investigated thus far seem to confer little benefit in Crohn's disease. In this review, we aim to bring together the evidence available on the clinical effect of probiotics and prebioltics in Crohn's disease patients, and to clarify the place of probiotic treatment in current Crohn's therapeutic regimens.