QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Online Supporting Material Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Siggers, R. H. Articles by Sangild, P. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Siggers, R. H. Articles by Sangild, P. T.

---

Nutrition and Disease

Early Administration of Probiotics Alters Bacterial Colonization and Limits Diet-Induced Gut Dysfunction and Severity of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Pigs^1–3,

⁴ Department of Human Nutrition, University of Copenhagen, DK-1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark; ⁵ National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-1790 Copenhagen, Denmark; ⁶ Corporate Research, Chr. Hansen, A/S, Bøge Allé 10-12, DK-2970 Hørsholm; and ⁷ Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: psa{at}life.ku.dk.

Following preterm birth, bacterial colonization and enteral formula feeding predispose neonates to gut dysfunction and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious gastrointestinal inflammatory disease. We hypothesized that administration of probiotics would beneficially influence early bacterial colonization, thereby reducing the susceptibility to formula-induced gut atrophy, dysfunction, and NEC. Caesarean-delivered preterm pigs were provided total parenteral nutrition (1.5 d) followed by enteral feeding (2 d) with porcine colostrum (COLOS; n = 5), formula (FORM; n = 9), or formula with probiotics (FORM-P; Bifidobacterium animalis and Lactobacillus: L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. pentosus, L. plantarum; n = 13). Clinical NEC scores were reduced (P < 0.05) in FORM-P (2.0 ± 0.2) and COLOS groups (1.7 ± 0.5) compared with FORM pigs (3.4 ± 0.6). Lower NEC scores were associated with elevated intestinal weight, mucosa proportion, villus height, RNA integrity, and brush border aminopeptidase A and N activities, and lower gastric organic acid concentration in the FORM-P and COLOS groups (P < 0.05). Diversity of the mucosa-associated bacteria in the distal small intestine was similar among formula-fed pigs, yet the abundance of specific bacterial groups differed between FORM-P and FORM pigs. FORM-P pigs had lower colonization density of a potential pathogen, Clostridium perfringens, and had commensal Lactobacillus bacteria more closely associated with enterocytes along the villus-crypt axis relative to FORM pigs. These results suggest that probiotic administration immediately after birth promotes the colonization of a beneficial commensal microbiota capable of limiting the formula-induced mucosal atrophy, dysfunction, and pathogen load in preterm neonates, thereby reducing the incidence and severity of NEC.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Khailova, K. Dvorak, K. M. Arganbright, M. D. Halpern, T. Kinouchi, M. Yajima, and B. Dvorak Bifidobacterium bifidum improves intestinal integrity in a rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, November 1, 2009; 297(5): G940 - G949. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. G. Bergen and G. Wu Intestinal Nitrogen Recycling and Utilization in Health and Disease J. Nutr., May 1, 2009; 139(5): 821 - 825. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. C. Gribar, C. P. Sodhi, W. M. Richardson, R. J. Anand, G. K. Gittes, M. F. Branca, A. Jakub, X.-h. Shi, S. Shah, J. A. Ozolek, et al. Reciprocal Expression and Signaling of TLR4 and TLR9 in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis J. Immunol., January 1, 2009; 182(1): 636 - 646. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]