Oral supplementation of a cell preparation of Enterococcus faecalis strain EC-12 stimulates superoxide dismutase production in the livers of healthy and arthritis-induced mice.

Hepatitis, a major human chronic inflammation disease, has been linked to oxidative stress, which can be initiated by radicals produced during the oxidative metabolism. Oxidative damage has been also observed in arthritis-induced mice. Here we evaluated whether supplementation of a cell preparation of EC-12 could induce superoxide dismutase activity and/or damage in the livers of healthy mice or mice with arthritis. In Experiment 1, both healthy and arthritis-induced mice were orally given a saline solution, or a solution with a low (0.2 mg/mouse/day) or a high (2.0 mg/mouse/day) concentration of EC-12 for 49 consecutive days. Manganese superoxide dismutase activity increased in EC-12-supplemented mice but with no arthritis. In Experiment 2, mice received orally either a saline or an EC-12 suspension (10 mg/kg of body weight/day) for 28 consecutive days. No changes in tissues and levels of function markers and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine were observed in mouse livers, inferring that EC-12 supplementation caused no damage. While mRNA expression of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase remained unaltered, that of manganese superoxide dismutase increased in EC-12 administration mice. In conclusion, at least in healthy mice, EC-12 supplementation stimulated manganese superoxide dismutase activity in liver tissues with no side effects.