Preventive Effects Of Bifidobacterium- And Lactobacillus-Fermented Milk On The Development Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease In Senescence-Accelerated Mouse P1/Yit Strain Mice

Background/Aims: We recently discovered inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the ileum and cecum of SAMP1/Yit strain mice under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions. To determine the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB - Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus)-fermented milk on the prevention of IBD in SAMP1/Yit strain mice, we compared the disease severity on the intestinal inflammation among the group of mice fed saline, unfermented milk or LAB-fermented milk. Methods: Three-week-old SAMP1/Yit strain mice (n = 72) were subdivided into three groups, that were fed saline, unfermented milk and LAB-fermented milk, respectively. The diets were orally administered daily via a gastric tube. When the mice reached 20 weeks of age, they were sacrificed and the IBD scores were compared among the three groups. Results: Administration of the LAB-fermented milk to SAMP1/Yit strain mice reduced histological injury score, compared with those in saline-treated or unfermented milk-treated SAMP1/Yit strain mice. Ileal tissue weight and myeloperoxidase activity also reduced by treatment of LAB-fermented milk. Moreover, the tissue contents of immunoglobulins such as IgG(1) and IgG(2a) were lower in the inflammatory regions in the SAMP1/Yit strain group fed LAB-fermented milk than that fed saline and unfermented milk. Cytokine-specific ELISA assays indicated the production of T-helper 1 cytokines such as interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the culture supernatants of MLN cells in the SAMP1/Yit strain group fed LAB-fermented milk was lower than those fed saline and unfermented milk. On the contrary, the production of interleukin-10 in MLN cells increased by prevention with LAB-fermented milk. Conclusion: LAB-fermented milk is beneficial for the treatment of murine IBD and this effect may be modulated through stabilization of the mucosal immunity by LAB. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.