Colon-specific delivery of a probiotic-derived soluble protein ameliorates intestinal inflammation in mice through an EGFR-dependent mechanism.

Abstract

Probiotic bacteria can potentially have beneficial effects on the clinical course of several intestinal disorders, but our understanding of probiotic action is limited. We have identified a probiotic bacteria-derived soluble protein, p40, from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), which prevents cytokine-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells. In the current study, we analyzed the mechanisms by which p40 regulates cellular responses in intestinal epithelial cells and p40's effects on experimental colitis using mouse models. We show that the recombinant p40 protein activated EGFR, leading to Akt activation. Activation of EGFR by p40 was required for inhibition of cytokine-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells in vitro and ex vivo. Furthermore, we developed a pectin/zein hydrogel bead system to specifically deliver p40 to the mouse colon, which activated EGFR in colon epithelial cells. Administration of p40-containing beads reduced intestinal epithelial apoptosis and disruption of barrier function in the colon epithelium in an EGFR-dependent manner, thereby preventing and treating DSS-induced intestinal injury and acute colitis. Furthermore, p40 activation of EGFR was required for ameliorating colon epithelial cell apoptosis and chronic inflammation in oxazolone-induced colitis. These data define what we believe to be a previously unrecognized mechanism of probiotic-derived soluble proteins in protecting the intestine from injury and inflammation.

• Authors: Fang Yan, Hanwei Cao, Timothy L Cover, M Kay Washington, Yan Shi, LinShu Liu, Rupesh Chaturvedi, Richard M Peek Jr, Keith T Wilson, D Brent Polk
• Journal: The Journal of clinical investigation (J Clin Invest) Vol. 121 Issue 6 Pg. 2242-53 (Jun 2011) ISSN: 1558-8238 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21606592 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Bacterial Proteins
• Hydrogels
• Quinazolines
• Recombinant Proteins
• Tyrphostins
• p40 protein, Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Oxazolone
• RTKI cpd
• Dextran Sulfate
• EGFR protein, mouse
• ErbB Receptors
• Akt1 protein, mouse
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt

Topics

• Administration, Rectal
• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Bacterial Proteins (administration & dosage, isolation & purification, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Colitis (chemically induced, drug therapy, enzymology, prevention & control)
• Dextran Sulfate (toxicity)
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Enzyme Activation (drug effects)
• Epithelial Cells (drug effects, enzymology, pathology)
• ErbB Receptors (antagonists & inhibitors, drug effects, physiology)
• Hydrogels
• Intestinal Mucosa (drug effects, pathology)
• Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (chemistry, physiology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Microspheres
• Oxazolone (toxicity)
• Permeability (drug effects)
• Probiotics (chemistry)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (drug effects, metabolism)
• Quinazolines
• Recombinant Proteins (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Tyrphostins (pharmacology)