From probiotics to therapeutics: another step forward?

Abstract

Preclinical studies with probiotics continue to unravel mechanisms of cytoprotection and suggest that approaches utilizing microbial products as therapeutics in acute and chronic gastrointestinal disorders could be effective. However, clinical trials using these bacteria have thus far been inconsistent. In this issue of the JCI, Yan et al. describe a novel mechanism of cytoprotection by p40, a soluble product of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, mediated via EGFR. The efficacy of p40 in three models of chemically induced colitis indicates tremendous therapeutic potential, though this finding will need to be verified in human patients.

• Authors: Fayez K Ghishan, Pawel R Kiela
• Journal: The Journal of clinical investigation (J Clin Invest) Vol. 121 Issue 6 Pg. 2149-52 (Jun 2011) ISSN: 1558-8238 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21606604 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Comment)

Chemical References

• Bacterial Proteins
• Recombinant Proteins
• p40 protein, Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Protein Kinases
• EGFR protein, mouse
• ErbB Receptors

Topics

• Animals
• Bacterial Proteins (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Colitis (chemically induced, prevention & control, therapy)
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Enzyme Activation (drug effects)
• ErbB Receptors (drug effects, physiology)
• Food Microbiology
• Gastrointestinal Diseases (microbiology, prevention & control, therapy)
• Humans
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (therapy)
• Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (physiology)
• Metagenome
• Mice
• Microbial Consortia (physiology)
• Microbial Interactions
• Opportunistic Infections (prevention & control)
• Probiotics (therapeutic use)
• Protein Kinases (drug effects, physiology)
• Recombinant Proteins (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)