A Bifidobacterium probiotic strain and its soluble factors alleviate chloride secretion by human intestinal epithelial cells.

Previous studies indicate that certain probiotic bacterial strains or their soluble products can alleviate proinflammatory cytokine secretion by intestinal epithelial cells (IEC), but their impact on epithelial chloride (Cl(-)) secretion remains elusive. To further decipher the mechanisms of the cross-talk between bacteria/soluble factors and epithelial cells, we analyzed the capacity of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve C50 (Bb C50), its conditioned medium, and other commensal Gram (+) bacteria to modulate epithelial Cl(-) secretion. The effect of Bb C50 on carbachol- (CCh) or forskolin (Fsk)-induced Cl(-) secretion was measured in an IEC line in Ussing chambers.

Mechanisms involved in alleviation of intestinal inflammation by bifidobacterium breve soluble factors.

Objectives: Soluble factors released by Bifidobacterium breve C50 (Bb) alleviate the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by immune cells, but their effect on intestinal epithelium remains elusive. To decipher the mechanisms accounting for the cross-talk between bacteria/soluble factors and intestinal epithelium, we measured the capacity of the bacteria, its conditioned medium (Bb-CM) and other Gram(+) commensal bacteria to dampen inflammatory chemokine secretion.

Methods: TNFalpha-induced chemokine (CXCL8) secretion and alteration of NF-kappaB and AP-1 signalling pathways by Bb were studied by EMSA, confocal microscopy and western blotting.