fructooligosaccharide and Escherichia-coli-Infections

To explore the protective effect of Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-induced inflammation and intestinal injury, twenty-four weaned pigs were randomly assigned into three groups: (1) non-challenge (CON, fed with basal diet), (2) ETEC-challenge (ECON, fed with basal diet), and (3) ETEC challenge + FOS treatment (EFOS, fed with basal diet plus 2.5 g kg-1 FOS). On day 19, the CON group was orally infused with sterilized culture while pigs in the ECON group and EFOS group were orally infused with ETEC (2.5 × 1011 colony-forming units). After 3 days, pigs were slaughtered for sample collection. We showed that ETEC challenge significantly reduced average daily gain (ADG); however, FOS improved the ADG (P < 0.05), apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), and ash and reduced the diarrhea incidence (P < 0.05). FOS reduced plasma concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α and down-regulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in the jejunum and ileum as well as IL-1β and TNF-α in the duodenum. The concentrations of plasma immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and secreted IgA (SIgA) in the jejunum (P < 0.05) were elevated. Interestingly, FOS elevated the villus height in the duodenum, and elevated the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum in the EFOS group pigs (P < 0.05). Moreover, FOS increased lactase activity in the duodenum and ileum (P < 0.05). The activities of sucrase and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) were higher in the EFOS group than in the ECON group (P < 0.05). Importantly, FOS up-regulated the expressions of critical genes in intestinal epithelium function such as zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), L-type amino acid transporter-1 (LAT1), and cationic amino acid transporter-1 (CAT1) in the duodenum and the expressions of ZO-1 and glucose transporter-2 (GLUT2) in the jejunum (P < 0.05). FOS also up-regulated the expressions of occludin, fatty acid transporter-4 (FATP4), sodium glucose transport protein 1 (SGLT1), and GLUT2 in the ileum (P < 0.05). FOS significantly increased the concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid in the cecal digesta. Additionally, FOS reduced the populations of Escherichia coli, but elevated the populations of Bacillus and Bifidobacterium in the caecal digesta (P < 0.05). These results suggested that FOS could improve the growth performance and intestinal health in weaned pigs upon ETEC challenge, which was associa

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Dietary Supplements; Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Intestinal Mucosa; Oligosaccharides; Probiotics; Swine; Swine Diseases; Treatment Outcome

1. The effects of mannanoligosaccharide (MOS, Bio-Mos, Alltech Inc.) on the growth performance and digestive system, particularly gut microflora, were tested and compared with fructooligosaccharide (FOS, Raftilose P95, Orafti) using 1-d-old birds in an Escherichia coli challenge model. The experiment lasted for 3 weeks and zinc bacitracin (ZnB) was used as a positive control. 2. Dietary MOS had positive effects on body weight gain (BWG) or/and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of the challenged birds compared to the negative control at the end of weeks 1 and 3. Similar results were obtained for ZnB treatment. In contrast, FOS supplementation improved only the BWG of the challenged birds at 21 d of age. Within the unchallenged birds, a large improvement in BWG was noticed for FOS treatment at the end of the experiment, with the BWG of birds on ZnB and MOS treatments being intermediate. The FCE of the unchallenged birds was not affected by the dietary additives. 3. The addition of MOS reduced the number of mucosa-associated coliforms in the jejunum of the challenged birds on d 7. On d 21, FOS tended to increase the number of jejunal mucosa-associated lactobacilli in both the challenged and unchallenged birds. The number of Clostridium perfringens in the gut lumen was reduced by only ZnB. 4. Dietary MOS reduced the jejunal crypt depth of birds on d 7, regardless of the challenge. The FOS supplement did not affect the gut morphology, however, the concentration of lactic acid in the ileum was increased and, depending on the challenge, the intestinal pH was decreased by FOS at different ages. 5. In conclusion, the effects of MOS or FOS on the composition and activities of gut microflora and mucosal morphology of birds were related to E. coli challenge as well as the age of birds, which may be involved in the observed different growth-improving effects of the tested dietary additives.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Chickens; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Escherichia coli Infections; Intestines; Male; Mannans; Oligosaccharides; Poultry Diseases

One-day-old broilers were randomly allocated to five treatment groups: basal diet and orally administered sterile saline (negative control, n-control); basal diet challenged with E. coli O78 (positive control, p-control); basal diet supplemented with 1×108 CFU/kg L. plantarum 15-1 and challenged with E. coli O78 (LP); basal diet supplemented with 5 g/kg fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and challenged with E. coli O78 (FOS); and basal diet supplemented with both L. plantarum 15-1 and FOS and challenged with E. coli O78 (LP+FOS). The broilers in the LP, FOS, and LP+FOS groups displayed a decrease of crypt depth at day 14 compared with the control groups. Furthermore, at days 14 and 21, the broilers in the LP group exhibited reduced serum levels of diamine oxidase (DAO) compared with the p-control group (p<0.05), and the broilers in the LP+FOS group showed increased serum concentrations of IgA and IgG relative to both control groups and decreased DAO levels compared with the p-control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the LP group displayed higher levels of acetic acid and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) compared with the p-control group at day 14 (p<0.05), and the FOS group showed higher levels of valeric acid and total SCFAs at day 21 (p<0.05). The LP+FOS group also displayed a higher level of butyric acid at day 14 (p<0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with FOS improved the growth performance, while supplementation with L. plantarum 15-1 and FOS improved intestinal health by increasing the levels of SCFAs and mitigating the damage caused by E. coli O78, thus preventing intestinal damage and enhancing the immune response.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Chickens; Dietary Supplements; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Immunity; Intestines; Lactobacillus plantarum; Oligosaccharides; Poultry Diseases; Probiotics

Extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains cause many diseases in humans and animals. While remaining asymptomatic, they can colonize the intestine for subsequent extra-intestinal infection and dissemination in the environment. We have previously identified the fos locus, a gene cluster within a pathogenicity island of the avian ExPEC strain BEN2908, involved in the metabolism of short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS). It is assumed that these sugars are metabolized by the probiotic bacteria of the microbiota present in the intestine, leading to a decrease in the pathogenic bacterial population. However, we have previously shown that scFOS metabolism helps BEN2908 to colonize the intestine, its reservoir. As the fos locus is located on a pathogenicity island, one aim of this study was to investigate a possible role of this locus in the virulence of the strain for chicken. We thus analysed fos gene expression in extracts of target organs of avian colibacillosis and performed a virulence assay in chickens. Moreover, in order to understand the involvement of the fos locus in intestinal colonization, we monitored the expression of fos genes and their implication in the growth ability of the strain in intestinal extracts of chicken. We also performed intestinal colonization assays in axenic and Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) chickens. We demonstrated that the fos locus is not involved in the virulence of BEN2908 for chickens and is strongly involved in axenic chicken cecal colonization both in vitro and in vivo. However, even if the presence of a microbiota does not inhibit the growth advantage of BEN2908 in ceca in vitro, overall, growth of the strain is not favoured in the ceca of SPF chickens. These findings indicate that scFOS metabolism by an ExPEC strain can contribute to its fitness in ceca but this benefit is fully dependent on the bacteria present in the microbiota.

Topics: Animals; Chickens; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Escherichia coli Proteins; Genomic Islands; Oligosaccharides; Poultry Diseases; Virulence

The immunomodulatory activity of a synbiotic combination containing three bacterial strains (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis R0033 and Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071) and short-chain fructooligosaccharide was examined in two distinct infectious rat models. In the T(h)1 model, Wistar rats were administered the synbiotic combination for 2 weeks prior to challenge with a single oral dose of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli or vehicle. In the T(h)2 model, pretreated rats were challenged with a single subcutaneous dose of hook worm, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Blood samples were collected 3 hours or 4 days postchallenge and serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured.. Significant reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were observed in both models suggesting a single, unifying mode of action on an upstream regulator. The N. brasiliensis study also compared the effect of the individual strains to synbiotic. For most of cytokines the combination appeared to average the effect of the individual strains with the exception of IL-4 and IL-10 where there was apparent synergy for the combination. Furthermore, the cytokine response varied by strain.. It was concluded that this synbiotic combination of these three microbes could be beneficial in both T(h)1 and T(h)2 diseases.

Topics: Animals; Bifidobacterium; Disease Models, Animal; Escherichia coli Infections; Interleukins; Lactobacillus helveticus; Male; Nippostrongylus; Oligosaccharides; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Strongylida Infections; Synbiotics; Th1 Cells; Th2 Cells; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The influence of the administration of Lactobacillus plantarum, maltodextrin Maldex 150 and Raftifeed IPX fructooligosaccharides on the inhibition of adhesion of E. coli O8:K88 to the mucosa of the jejunum, ileum and colon as well as on the organic acid levels was investigated in 33 conventional piglets. The counts of E. coli K88 adhering to the jejunal mucosa were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in Lact. plantarum + Maldex 150 and Lact. plantarum + Maldex 150 + Raftifeed IPX groups. The counts of E. coli K88 adhering to the colonic mucosa of Lact. plantarum + Maldex 150 + Raftifeed IPX and Lact. plantarum + Raftifeed IPX groups were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in Lact. plantarum and Lact. plantarum + Maldex 150 animals. The acetic acid levels in the ileum and colon of the Lact. plantarum + Maldex 150 + Raftifeed IPX group and Lact. plantarum + Raftifeed IPX group were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the Lact. plantarum and Lact. plantarum + Maldex 150 group. The combination of Lact. plantarum, maltodextrin Maldex 150 and Raftifeed IPX proved to be the most effective one to inhibit the counts of E. coli O8:K88 adhering to the intestinal mucosa of the jejunum and colon of conventional piglets.

Topics: Acetic Acid; Animals; Animals, Suckling; Bacterial Adhesion; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Colony Count, Microbial; Dietary Carbohydrates; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Gastrointestinal Contents; Intestinal Mucosa; Lactic Acid; Lactobacillus plantarum; Oligosaccharides; Polysaccharides; Probiotics; Swine; Swine Diseases