Abstract
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. In addition, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity levels in colonic tissue were reduced, suggesting that MDT-1 mitigates bowel inflammation. The addition of MDT-1 culture supernatant inhibited the growth of nine clinical isolates of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli that could potentially cause enterocolitis. Infection of mice with C. coli 11580-3, one of the isolates inhibited by MDT-1 in vitro, resulted in diarrhea, mucosal damage, increased MPO activity levels in colonic tissue, increased numbers of C. coli in the cecum, and decreased body weight gain. However, administration of MDT-1 to mice, prior to and during C. coli infection, reduced these effects. These results suggest that Campylobacter-induced enterocolitis can be alleviated by using B. fibrisolvens as a probiotic.