Experimental study on prevention and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection by Lactobacillus acidophilus in C57BL/6 mice

Abstract

Objective To investigate the potential effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus strain L6 on prevention and treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in animal models. Methods A total of 200 hundred C57BL/6 mice were used in the study. ① Sixty mice were divided into control group (infected with H. pylori) and prevention group (previously treated with L6 and followed by infection with H. pylori) with 30 each. The incidence of H. pylori infection was compared between two groups.② Sixty mice were divided into control group (infected with H. pylori) and treatment group (infected with H. pylori for 4 weeks and followed by treatment with L6) with 30 each. The changes of H. pylori infection was compared between tow groups. ③ Eighty mice previously infected with H. pylori were orally administrated with L6 in the water supply over a period of 9 months. Of which, 40 H. pylori negative mice were either continuously or discontinuously treated with L6. The re-infection of H. pylori was compared between two groups. The H. pylori infection, gastric mucosal inflammatory and serum anti-H. pylori-lgG titer was measured by using urea breath test, histopathology and ELISA, respectively. Results The positive rate of H. pylori infection was 100% in control group and 20% in prevention group (pre-treated with L6 for 1 week). Whereas there was no H. pylori infection in the rest mice of prevention group pre-treated with L6 for 2 or 4 weeks. There was significant difference in H. pylori infection between two groups (P<0. 05). The serum anti-H. pylori IgG titer was lower in treatment group than in control group (P<0. 05). The reinfection of H. pylori in mice continuously treated with L6 was significantly lower than those discontiously treated with L6 (P<0. 05). Conclusions Preventively feeding L6 can significantly reduce the H. pylori infection in C57BL/6 mice, whereas the inhibition of H. pylori re-infection can also be achieved with long-term administration of L6. Key words: Lactobacillusacidophilus; Helicobacter pylori; Animal experimentation