Probiotics promote gut health through stimulation of epithelial innate immunity
Open accessAbstract
Probiotic formulations are widely available and have a variety of proposed beneficial effects, including promotion of gut health. The mechanisms of action of probiotic bacteria in the intestine are still unclear but are generally attributed to an antiinflammatory effect. Here, we demonstrate that the multiple probiotic formulation VSL#3 prevents the onset of intestinal inflammation by local stimulation of epithelial innate immune responses (i.e., increased production of epithelial-derived TNF-α and restoration of epithelial barrier function in vivo). We also demonstrate that probiotic bacteria stimulate epithelial production of TNF-α and activate NF-κB in vitro. Our results support the hypothesis that probiotics promote gut health through stimulation, rather than suppression, of the innate immune system. Furthermore, our findings provide the perspective that defects in innate immunity may play a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of intestinal disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
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Probiotics modulate both innate and adaptive immunity.
“modulate both innate and adaptive immunity [226,227]”
From Gut microbiota role in irritable bowel syndrome: New therapeutic strategies (2016) · cites this paper as [226]
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- Authors
- Pagnini, C., Saeed, R., Bamias, G., Arseneau, K. O., Pizarro, T. T., & Cominelli, F.
- Affiliations
- University of Virginia Health System (US)
- Case Western Reserve University (US)
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2009-12-29
- Volume
- 107
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 454-459
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC2806692
- OpenAlex
- W2028935045
- Cited by
- 358
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 30
- FWCI
- 41.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Virginia
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK055812, DK 44540, DK56762, DK55812, R01DK056762, DK-67629, R56DK042191, R37DK042191, R01DK042191, DK42191, P30DK067629, R56DK055812)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Keywords
- probiotics, VSL#3, gut health, intestinal epithelium, innate immunity, TNF-α, epithelial barrier function, NF-κB activation, intestinal inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, anti-inflammatory mechanism
- MeSH terms
- Animals, DNA, Bacterial, Epithelial Cells, Feces, Ileitis, Immunity, Innate, Intestinal Mucosa, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, NF-kappa B, Culture Media, Conditioned, Probiotics, Gastrointestinal Tract, Mice
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