Immunomodulation by treatment with Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota

The role of lactic acid bacteria in colon cancer prevention: mechanistic considerations

Colorectal cancer is one of the most important causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in Western countries. While a myriad of healthful effects have been attributed to the probiotic lactic acid bacteria, perhaps the most controversial remains that of anticancer activity. It should be pointed out already at this point that there is no direct experimental evidence for cancer suppression in humans as a result of consumption of lactic cultures in fermented or unfermented dairy products. However, there is a wealth of indirect evidence, based largely on laboratory studies, in the literature. The precise mechanisms by which lactic acid bacteria may inhibit colon cancer are presently unknown. However, such mechanisms might include: enhancing the host's immune response; binding and degrading potential carcinogens; quantitative and/or qualitative alterations in the intestinal microflora incriminated in producing putative carcinogen(s) and promoters (e.g. bile acid-degrading bacteria); producing antitumorigenic or antimutagenic compounds in the colon; alteration of the metabolic activities of intestinal microflora; alteration of physicochemical conditions in the colon; effects on physiology of the host. These potential mechanisms are discussed in the present paper.

Human ileostomy glycoproteins as a model for small intestinal mucus to investigate adhesion of probiotics

Human ileostomy glycoproteins were used as a model for small intestinal mucus to investigate the adhesion of 12 Lactobacillus strains, one Lactococcus strain and one Propionibacterium strain, Both probiotic and dairy strains were tested. Adhesive and non-adhesive Escherichia coli strains were used as controls. All the strains were also tested for their adhesion to polystyrene. Adhesion to ileostomy glycoproteins and to polystyrene varied significantly among the strains tested. Lactobacillus rhamnosus (human isolate), Lactobacillus GG, Lact. acidophilus 1 and P. freudenreichii adhered to ileostomy glycoproteins. Adhesion was concentration-dependent and the most adhesive strains were able to saturate the substratum. These results indicate that human ileostomy glycoproteins can be used as a model system to select potential probiotic strains to complement the adhesion test with intestinal cell lines.