Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118TM dampens inflammation and promotes microbiota recovery to provide therapeutic benefit in a DSS-induced colitis model. Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118TM dampens inflammation and promotes microbiota recovery to provide therapeutic benefit in a DSS-induced colitis model

Abstract: The use of probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp.as a therapeutic against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is of significant interest. Lactobacillus salivarus strain UCC118 TM is commensal that has been shown to possess probiotic properties in vitro and anti-infective properties in vivo. However, the usefulness of UCC118 TM as a therapeutic against colitis remains unclear. This study investigates the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus salivarius, UCC118TM in a mouse model of colitis. DSS-induced colitis was coupled with pre-treatment or post-treatment with UCC118 TM by daily oral gavage. In the pre-treatment model of colitis, UCC118 TM reduced severity of the disease in the early stages. Improvement in disease severity were coupled with an upregulation of tissue IL-10 levels and increased expression of macrophage M2 markers. This anti-inflammatory activity of UCC118 TM was further confirmed in vitro, using a model of LPS- treated bone marrow-derived macrophages. Taken together, these results suggest that UCC118 TM may promote resolution of in- flammation. This was supported in a mouse model of established DSS-induced colitis whereby UCC118 TM treatment accelerated recovery evidenced by weight, stool and histological markers and recovery of microbiome-associated dysbiosis as seen by an increased abundance of beneficial com- mensal species. These results demonstrate the potential of Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 TM as a probiotic-based therapeutic strategy to promote health through upregulation of anti-inflammatory IL-10 and protect against dysbiosis during IBD.