Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists.

The human intestine harbours an immense collection of microbes which have co-evolved with us. Recent studies indicate that the gut microbes regulate energy harvest from the diet and participate in the peripheral body metabolism. Gut microbial dysbiosis severely affects many body functions, including a complex interplay of gut-brain interactions, now under intense study. Most probiotic strains belong to the genus Lactobacillus. The promising results of a first generation of probiotic microbes indicate a promising future for coming generations of probiotics. Antibiotic-associated, travellers' and pediatric diarrhea have been most studied, and more recently, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Future probiotics may contain mixes of strains with complementary characteristics, tailormade for different gastrointestinal diseases, vaginosis or as delivery systems for vaccines, immunoglobulins and other protein based therapies.

from Ljungh and Wadstrom in Lactobacillus Molecular Biology: From Genomics to Probiotics

Labels: biotherapeutics, lactic acid bacteria, lactobacillus, probiotics

Several pharmaceutical preparations containing probiotic yeast cells are commercially available and the beneficial properties of strains of some Saccharomyces spp are well documented. As well as providing nutritive value probiotic yeasts are generally resistant to gastrointestinal passage and are resistant to most antibiotics. A recent review by Zanello et al. entitled Saccharomyces boulardii effects on gastrointestinal diseases was recently published in the journal Current Issues in Molecular Biology.

Saccharomyces boulardii, a species of yeast, has been described as a biotherapeutic agent since several clinical trials displayed its beneficial effects in the prevention and the treatment of intestinal infections and in the maintenance of inflammatory bowel disease. All these diseases are characterized by acute diarrhoea. Administration of Saccharomyces boulardii in combination or not with an antibiotherapy has shown to decrease significantly the duration and the frequency of diarrhoea. Experimental studies have elucidated partially the molecular mechanisms triggered to improve the host health. The discovery of its anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory activities in correlation with the advances in the understanding of mucosal immunology opens a new field of perspectives in Saccharomyces boulardii therapeutic applications.

Free full text review at Saccharomyces boulardii effects on gastrointestinal diseases

Further reading on probiotic microorganisms: Lactobacillus Molecular Biology: From Genomics to Probiotics

Labels: probiotics, Saccharomyces, yeast

The 9th Symposium on Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB9) will open soon (August 31st) in the Congress Centre “Hotel Zuiderduin”, Zeeweg 52, Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. The 9th Symposium programme will involve a limited number of plenary invited lectures covering state-of-the-art developments with attention on Systems Biology, Evolution and Health, as well as a larger number of plenary or parallel short lectures. Besides scientists working on LAB, key note lecturers from outside the LAB field will give stimulatory talks on subjects that are of emerging interest and importance for the LAB. Evening thematic sessions on topics of specific interest will take place.

Poster contributions in all areas of research on Lactic Acid Bacteria, especially also on industrial applications are encouraged. There will be ample time for poster viewing and the posters will be on display during the whole symposium.

Finally, there will be several plenary sessions during which a number of selected posters will be explained briefly.

Further information   More microbiology conferences: Microbiology Conference

Further reading: Lactobacillus Molecular Biology: From Genomics to Probiotics

Labels: lactic acid bacteria, lactobacillus, probiotics

from Chandra Iyer and James Versalovic

Beneficial bacteria include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) commonly known as probiotics. LAB possesses numerous potential therapeutic properties including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities and other features of interest. In recent years, studies with in vitro cell culture and animal models that clearly demonstrated protective effects of LAB for anti-tumor and anti-cancer effects. Dietary administration of LAB alleviated the risks of certain types of cancers and suppressed colonic tumor incidence, volume and multiplicity induced by various carcinogens in different animal models. Oral administration of LAB effectively reduced DNA adduct formation, ameliorated DNA damage and prevented putative preneoplastic lesions such as aberrant crypt foci induced by chemical carcinogens in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of various animal models. LAB also increased the latency period and survival rates in test animals when challenged with carcinogenic agents. Reports also indicated that LAB cultures administered to animals inhibited liver, colon, bladder and mammary tumors, highlighting potential systemic effects of probiotics with anti-neoplastic activities.

Further reading: Lactobacillus Molecular Biology: From Genomics to Probiotics

Labels: Bifidobacterium, cancer, lactic acid bacteria, lactobacillus, probiotics

Scientists at the Institute of Food Research, Norwich UK found that probiotic bacteria in a daily drink can modify the immune system's response to grass pollen. Volunteers with a history of seasonal hay fever drank a daily milk drink with or without live Lactobacillus casei over 5 months. The study was double-blinded and placebo controlled, so neither the volunteers nor the scientists knew who had been assigned the probiotic drinks.

Blood samples were taken before the grass pollen season, then again when it was at its peak (June), and 4 weeks after the end of season. There were no significant differences in levels of IgE in the blood between the two groups at the start of the study, but IgE levels were lower in the probiotic group both at the peak season and afterwards. IgE stimulates the release of histamine which produces the symptoms of hayfever.

Further reading: Lactobacillus Probiotics

Labels: bacteriology, biotechnology, lactic acid bacteria, lactobacillus, probiotics