Dietary sphingomyelin alleviates experimental inflammatory bowel disease in mice.

The effect of dietary sphingomyelin (SM) on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) induced with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was examined in mice. Although the severity of IBD as expressed by the disease activity index (DAI) markedly increased with DSS administration, feeding a diet containing SM lowered the DAI value significantly. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in colonic tissue also increased with DSS administration, suggesting the development of inflammation.

Effect of oral administration of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens MDT-1, a gastrointestinal bacterium, on 3-methylcholanthrene-induced tumor in mice.

Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens MDT-1 was evaluated for use as a probiotic to prevent tumor formation. Oral administration of MDT-1 (10(9) cfu/dose, 3 times a wk for 15 wk) delayed the onset of tumors induced by 3-methylcholanthrene and also reduced tumor incidence in mice. Furthermore, the numbers of natural killer (NK) and NKT cells in the spleen increased markedly in response to MDT-1 administration.

Effect of oral administration of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens MDT-1 on experimental enterocolitis in mice.

Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens MDT-1, a butyrate-producing strain, was evaluated for use as a probiotic to prevent enterocolitis. Oral administration of the MDT-1 strain (10(9) CFU/dose) alleviated the symptoms of colitis (including body weight loss, diarrhea, bloody stool, organic disorder, and mucosal damage) that are induced in mice drinking water that contains 3.0% dextran sulfate sodium.

Oral administration of butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, a butyrate-producing bacterium, decreases the formation of aberrant crypt foci in the colon and rectum of mice.

Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, a butyrate-producing ruminal bacterium, was evaluated for use as a probiotic to prevent colorectal cancer. Oral administration to Jcl:ICR mice of a new strain of B. fibrisolvens (MDT-1) that produces butyrate at a high rate (10(9) cfu/dose) increased the rate of butyrate production by fecal microbes, suggesting that MDT-1 can grow in the gut.