Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of the carotenoid-producing Bacillus indicus strain PD01 on intestinal barrier function and its ability to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract and to assess systemic bioavailability of these carotenoids in vivo. As model for impaired barrier function, 16 early weaned piglets were randomly assigned to a control diet or control diet with PD01 for 23 days. In addition, 67 overweight/obese, otherwise healthy individuals were randomly assigned to groups receiving PD01 or placebo for 6 weeks. PD01 survived passage through the gastrointestinal tract in piglets and human subjects and resulted in significant accumulation of PD01 derived carotenoids (methyl-glycosyl-apo-8′-lycopenoate and glycosyl-apo-8′-lycopene) in human plasma after 3- and 6-weeks supplementation versus baseline (0.044 and 0.076 vs 0 µM, respectively; p < 0.001). PD01 supplementation resulted in higher expression levels of occludin in the distal small intestine (1.38 ± 0.31 vs 0.59 ± 0.14; p = 0.044) and transepithelial electrical resistance in the mid colon (34.1 ± 3.01 vs 24.3 ± 1.13 Ω.cm2; p = 0.019) of early weaned piglets compared to control. In overweight/obese individuals with preserved barrier integrity, PD01 did not affect sugar excretion (p ≥ 0.104). In summary, PD01 survived transit through the gastrointestinal tract, resulted in systemic carotenoid accumulation and improved compromised barrier function outcomes.
Highlights
The intestinal epithelial barrier plays an important role in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and in overall human health
PD01 nor placebo did affect stool frequency or consistency throughout the study period. This is the first in vivo study evaluating the effect of a carotenoidproducing Bacillus strain on intestinal barrier function as well as its in testinal fate and ability to release systemically absorbable carotenoids in a combined animal and human approach
We have shown that Bacillus indicus strain PD01 survives transit through the GI tract in both piglets and human subjects and was able to release carotenoids in situ
Summary
The intestinal epithelial barrier plays an important role in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and in overall human health. The barrier consists of a mucus layer, a single layer of epithelial cells sealed by junctional com plexes and underlying lamina propria In addition to these components, other factors such as the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and the intestinal microbiota play a key role in maintaining the integrity and function of the intestinal barrier (Konig et al, 2016; Vancamelbeke & Vermeire, 2017). Not all Bacillus strains are considered safe for human consumption (Elshaghabee, Rokana, Gulhane, Sharma, & Pan war, 2017), probiotic properties including the prevention of pathogen colonization and reduced intestinal permeability have been shown for Bacillus spp. In addition to the strain itself, the carotenoids that are produced may play a role in improving barrier dysfunction via their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and their ability to modulate the microbiota composition. Various animal studies have shown beneficial ef fects of carotenoids on intestinal barrier function such as an increased expression of tight junction proteins and a reduction of intestinal epithelial damage (Hwang, Koh, Lee, Kim, & Lim, 2014; Singh et al, 2016; Trivedi & Jena, 2015; Wang et al, 2019)
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