Commensal Bacteria Protect Against Inflammation from Infection
Author Information
Author(s): O'Mahony Caitlin, Scully Paul, O'Mahony David, Murphy Sharon, O'Brien Frances, Lyons Anne, Sherlock Graham, MacSharry John, Kiely Barry, Shanahan Fergus, O'Mahony Liam
Primary Institution: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Hypothesis
Does the composition of gut microbiota influence Treg cellular activity and NF-κB activation during infection?
Conclusion
Consumption of the commensal bacterium Bifidobacterium infantis enhances Treg cell activity, which protects against excessive inflammation during infection.
Supporting Evidence
- Bifidobacterium infantis consumption reduced NF-κB activation in response to infection.
- Pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion was significantly reduced in B. infantis-fed mice.
- Treg cell numbers increased in the mucosa and spleen of B. infantis-fed mice.
- Adoptive transfer of Tregs from B. infantis-fed mice suppressed NF-κB activation in naïve mice.
Takeaway
Eating good bacteria can help your body fight off bad germs without causing too much damage to itself.
Methodology
Mice were fed Bifidobacterium infantis and then infected with Salmonella typhimurium; NF-κB activation and Treg activity were measured.
Participant Demographics
Balb/c mice and NF-kBlux transgenic mice were used in the study.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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