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Applied and environmental microbiology2012; 78(12); 4248-4255; doi: 10.1128/AEM.00552-12

Lactobacillus equigenerosi strain Le1 invades equine epithelial cells.

Abstract: Lactobacillus equigenerosi strain Le1, a natural inhabitant of the equine gastrointestinal tract, survived pH 3.0 and incubation in the presence of 1.5% (wt/vol) bile salts for at least 2 h. Strain Le1 showed 8% cell surface hydrophobicity, 60% auto-aggregation, and 47% coaggregation with Clostridium difficile C6. Only 1% of the cells adhered to viable buccal epithelial cells and invaded the cells within 20 min after contact. Preincubation of strain Le1 in a buffer containing pronase prevented adhesion to viable epithelial cells. Preincubation in a pepsin buffer delayed invasion from 20 min to 1 h. Strain Le1 did not adhere to nonviable epithelial cells. Administration of L. equigenerosi Le1 (1 × 10(9) CFU per 50 kg body weight) to healthy horses did not increase white blood cell numbers. Differential white blood cell counts and aspartate aminotransferase levels remained constant. Glucose, lactate, cholesterol, and urea levels remained constant during administration with L. equigenerosi Le1 but decreased during the week after administration.
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Publication Date: 2012-04-13 PubMed ID: 22504808PubMed Central: PMC3370564DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00552-12Google 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.

The research explores how Lactobacillus equigenerosi strain Le1, a bacteria found in horse intestines, can survive harsh conditions, stick to cells, and then invade them. The study also suggests administering this bacteria to healthy horses doesn’t alter many of their common health indicators.

Methodology and Findings

  • The researchers first studied the survival capabilities of L. equigenerosi strain Le1 by subjecting it to difficult conditions for the survival of bacteria, such as a pH of 3.0 and in the presence of 1.5% bile salts. They found that this bacteria could survive these harsh conditions for at least 2 hours.
  • The researchers next looked at the ability of strain Le1 to interact with other cells. They found that this bacteria had about 8% cell surface hydrophobicity, which indicates its capacity to attach to surfaces of cells or other particles, 60% auto-aggregation, which is the ability to cluster or aggregate with its own kind, and 47% coaggregation with another bacteria, Clostridium difficile C6, indicating its ability to attach to different bacterial species.
  • The study showed that only 1% of the bacterial cells could bind to healthy epithelial cells in the mouth of horses and could invade these cells within 20 minutes after contact. This invasion was prevented if the bacteria were preincubated in a buffer solution containing an enzyme known as pronase, and was delayed to 1 hour if the bacteria were incubated in a buffer containing another enzyme known as pepsin.
  • Importantly, the strain did not attach to nonviable epithelial cells, emphasizing its selectivity in adhering to healthy cells.

Effects on Horses

  • The researchers then examined the physiological response of horses to administering a high dose of L. equigenerosi Le1. They found that this did not increase the number of white blood cells (immunity cells) in healthy horses.
  • The levels of differential white blood cells, i.e., the percentage of each type of white blood cell in the blood, remained constant. Aspartate aminotransferase, an enzyme that can indicate liver damage when present at high levels, also did not change.
  • The levels of glucose, lactate, cholesterol, and urea, which are involved in energy metabolism, also remained constant during administration of L. equigenerosi Le1 but decreased during the week after administration.
  • This suggests that the presence of this bacteria in high quantities did not cause major alterations in the physiological parameters studied.

Cite This Article

APA
Botha M, Botes M, Loos B, Smith C, Dicks LM. (2012). Lactobacillus equigenerosi strain Le1 invades equine epithelial cells. Appl Environ Microbiol, 78(12), 4248-4255. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00552-12

Publication

Applied and environmental microbiology
ISSN: 1098-5336
NlmUniqueID: 7605801
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 78
Issue: 12
Pages: 4248-4255

Researcher Affiliations

Botha, Marlie
  • Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Botes, Marelize
    Loos, Ben
      Smith, Carine
        Dicks, Leon M T

          MeSH Terms

          • Animals
          • Antibiosis
          • Bacterial Adhesion
          • Clostridioides difficile / growth & development
          • Endocytosis
          • Epithelial Cells / microbiology
          • Horses
          • Lactobacillus / growth & development
          • Lactobacillus / physiology
          • Probiotics / administration & dosage

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          Citations

          This article has been cited 8 times.
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