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Journal of equine science2014; 25(2); 37-43; doi: 10.1294/jes.25.37

Anti-inflammatory and Intestinal Barrier-protective Activities of Commensal Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in Thoroughbreds: Role of Probiotics in Diarrhea Prevention in Neonatal Thoroughbreds.

Abstract: We previously isolated the commensal bacteria lactobacilli and bifidobacteria from the Thoroughbred intestine and prepared the horse probiotics LacFi(TM), consisting of Lactobacillus ruminis KK14, L. equi KK 15, L. reuteri KK18, L. johnsonii KK21, and Bifidobacterium boum HU. Here, we found that the five LacFi(TM) constituent strains remarkably suppressed pro-inflammatory interleukin-17 production in mouse splenocytes stimulated with interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor-β. The protective effects of the probiotic on impaired intestinal barrier function were evaluated in Caco-2 cells treated with tumor necrosis factor-α. Evaluation of transepithelial resistance showed that all the strains exhibited intestinal barrier protective activity, with significant suppression of barrier impairment by L. reuteri KK18. The LacFi(TM) constituent strains were detected in neonatal LacFi(TM)-administered Thoroughbred feces using polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and culture methods. These five strains were found to be the predominant lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the intestinal microbiota of LacFi(TM)-administered Thoroughbreds. Administration of LacFi(TM) to neonatal Thoroughbreds decreased diarrhea incidence from 75.9% in the control group (n=29 neonatal Thoroughbreds) to 30.7% in the LacFi(TM)-administered group (n=101 neonatal Thoroughbreds) immediately after birth to 20 weeks after birth. LacFi(TM) treatment also prevented diarrhea especially at and around 4 weeks and from 10 to 16 weeks. The duration of diarrhea was also shorter in the probiotics-administered group (7.4 ± 0.8 days) than in the control group (14.0 ± 3.2 days). These results indicate that the LacFi(TM) probiotics regulates intestinal function and contributes to diarrhea prevention.
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Publication Date: 2014-06-25 PubMed ID: 25013357PubMed Central: PMC4090357DOI: 10.1294/jes.25.37Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study presents research on how a probiotic supplement, derived from the digestive bacteria of Thoroughbred horses, can decrease the incidence of diarrhea in newborn colts. It particularly highlights the probiotic’s anti-inflammatory properties and its effect on strengthening intestinal health.

Methodology

  • The researchers isolated Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, common bacteria in the horse gut, to create the probiotic formula LacFi(TM). It comprised five strains: Lactobacillus ruminis KK14, L. equi KK 15, L. reuteri KK18, L. johnsonii KK21, and Bifidobacterium boum HU.
  • The inflammatory response induced by the probiotics was tested by monitoring its impact on the production of pro-inflammatory interleukin-17 in mouse splenocytes (spleen cells) stimulated with interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor-β.
  • The beneficial effects of the probiotic on intestinal barrier dysfunction were studied using Caco-2 cells treated with tumor necrosis factor-α. This study used transepithelial resistance as a measure to evaluate the barrier protective activity.

Results

  • All strains showcased the ability to protect the intestinal barrier, however, L. reuteri KK18 was observed to significantly suppress barrier impairment.
  • The probiotic strains were detected in the feces of newborn Thoroughbreds treated with LacFi(TM), suggesting successful colonization in their intestines.
  • Administration of LacFi(TM) to newborn Thoroughbreds notably reduced the incidence of diarrhea in contrast to the control group: a drop from 75.9% in the untreated group to 30.7% in the treated group. This protective effect was observed immediately after birth and continued up to 20 weeks, with most noticeable results during 4th week and between 10th to 16th week.
  • The duration of diarrhea also shortened in the LacFi(TM)-administered group (7.4 ± 0.8 days) compared to the control group (14.0 ± 3.2 days).

Conclusion

  • The results suggest that LacFi(TM), a probiotic made from horse-derived Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, shows promising anti-inflammatory and intestinal barrier protective properties.
  • Its administration to young Thoroughbreds helped regulate intestinal function and substantially lessened the occurrence and duration of post-birth diarrhea.

Cite This Article

APA
Tanabe S, Suzuki T, Wasano Y, Nakajima F, Kawasaki H, Tsuda T, Nagamine N, Tsurumachi T, Sugaya K, Akita H, Takagi M, Takagi K, Inoue Y, Asai Y, Morita H. (2014). Anti-inflammatory and Intestinal Barrier-protective Activities of Commensal Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in Thoroughbreds: Role of Probiotics in Diarrhea Prevention in Neonatal Thoroughbreds. J Equine Sci, 25(2), 37-43. https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.25.37

Publication

Journal of equine science
ISSN: 1340-3516
NlmUniqueID: 9503751
Country: Japan
Language: English
Volume: 25
Issue: 2
Pages: 37-43

Researcher Affiliations

Tanabe, Soichi
  • Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-hiroshima 739-8528, Japan.
Suzuki, Takuya
  • Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-hiroshima 739-8528, Japan.
Wasano, Yuichiro
  • Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-hiroshima 739-8528, Japan.
Nakajima, Fumihiko
  • Northern Farm, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
Kawasaki, Hiroshi
  • Northern Farm, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
Tsuda, Tomonori
  • Northern Farm, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
Nagamine, Natsuko
  • Northern Farm, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
Tsurumachi, Takashi
  • Northern Farm, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
Sugaya, Kiyoshi
  • Northern Farm, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
Akita, Hiroaki
  • Northern Farm, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
Takagi, Misako
  • Crossfield-Bio Inc., Tokyo 103-0004, Japan.
Takagi, Kunihiko
  • School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
Inoue, Yoshinobu
  • Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
Asai, Yo
  • Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
Morita, Hidetoshi
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.

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Citations

This article has been cited 14 times.
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