Preclinical Immunomodulation by the Probiotic Bifidobacterium breve M-16V in Early Life.

Maria Del Mar Rigo-Adrover,Àngels Franch,Margarida Castell,Francisco José Pérez-Cano,Francesco Cappello

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0166082

Maria Del Mar Rigo-Adrover, Àngels Franch + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166082

Copy DOI

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of supplementation with the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve M-16V on the maturation of the intestinal and circulating immune system during suckling. In order to achieve this purpose, neonatal Lewis rats were supplemented with the probiotic strain from the 6th to the 18th day of life. The animals were weighed during the study, and faecal samples were obtained and evaluated daily. On day 19, rats were euthanized and intestinal wash samples, mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells, splenocytes and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) were obtained. The probiotic supplementation in early life did not modify the growth curve and did not enhance the systemic immune maturation. However, it increased the proportion of cells bearing TLR4 in the MLN and IEL, and enhanced the percentage of the integrin αEβ7+ and CD62L+ cells in the MLN and that of the integrin αEβ7+ cells in the IEL, suggesting an enhancement of the homing process of naïve T lymphocytes to the MLN, and the retention of activated lymphocytes in the intraepithelial compartment. Interestingly, B. breve M-16V enhanced the intestinal IgA synthesis. In conclusion, supplementation with the probiotic strain B. breve M-16V during suckling improves the development of mucosal immunity in early life.

Highlights

The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) is a very extensive and complex part of the immune system located in the small intestine and colon
It is organized in inductive sites, which include isolated lymphoid follicles and Peyer’s Patches (PP), where antigens are sampled from the lumen by antigen-presenting cells and the synthesis of IgA is stimulated, and the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), where the antigens are presented to naïve lymphocytes which will become activated cells
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of B. breve M-16V supplementation on some aspects of the immune system development using a neonatal rat as a model

Summary

Introduction

The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) is a very extensive and complex part of the immune system located in the small intestine and colon. It is organized in inductive sites, which include isolated lymphoid follicles and Peyer’s Patches (PP), where antigens are sampled from the lumen by antigen-presenting cells and the synthesis of IgA is stimulated, and the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), where the antigens are presented to naïve lymphocytes which will become activated cells. The main functions of the microbiota are protective, metabolic and trophic activities [2,3]. By producing bacteriocins and by competing for nutrients and attachment sites on the intestinal surface, the microbiota protects the host from pathogen microbes. Bacteria in the lumen interact with the immune system through the pattern recognition receptors, such as the tolllike receptors (TLR), which recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns [5,6]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion