Assessment of the probiotic potential of a dairy product fermented by Propionibacterium freudenreichii in piglets

J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Aug 15;60(32):7917-27. doi: 10.1021/jf302245m. Epub 2012 Aug 3.

Abstract

Dairy propionibacteria, including Propionibacterium freudenreichii , display promising probiotic properties, including immunomodulation. These properties are highly strain-dependent and rarely studied in a fermented dairy product. We screened 10 strains, grown in a newly developed fermented milk ultrafiltrate, for immunomodulatory properties in vitro. The most anti-inflammatory strain, P. freudenreichii BIA129, was further tested on piglets. P. freudenreichii -fermented product improved food intake and growth of piglets. Colonic mucosa explants of treated pigs secreted less interleukin 8 (-25%, P < 0.05) and tumor necrosis factor α (-20%, P < 0.05), either in basal conditions or after a lipopolysaccharide challenge. By contrast, the gut structure, barrier function (measured ex vivo in Ussing chambers), microbial diversity (assessed by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing), and colonic short-chain fatty acid content were unchanged, assuming maintenance of normal intestinal physiology. In conclusion, this work confirms in vivo probiotic properties of dairy propionibacteria-fermented products, which are promising for the prevention or healing of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Colon / immunology
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Eating
  • Female
  • Fermentation*
  • Immunomodulation / physiology
  • Interleukin-8 / metabolism
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Male
  • Milk / microbiology*
  • Probiotics*
  • Propionibacterium / growth & development
  • Propionibacterium / physiology*
  • Species Specificity
  • Sus scrofa / growth & development
  • Sus scrofa / physiology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Interleukin-8
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha