The effect of probiotics on faecal microbiota and genotoxic activity of faecal water in patients with atopic dermatitis: A randomized, placebo-controlled study

• Published in: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 22 - 29
• Main Authors: Roessler, A., Forssten, S.D., Glei, M., Ouwehand, A.C., Jahreis, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: administration & dosage; Adolescent; Adult; adults; Allergic diseases; Atopic dermatitis; beverages; Bifidobacterium; Bifidobacterium - metabolism; Bifidobacterium animalis; Biological and medical sciences; biosynthesis; Clostridium perfringens; colorectal neoplasms; Comet Assay; Comet Assay - methods; Cross-Over Studies; Dermatitis, Atopic; Dermatitis, Atopic - genetics; Dermatitis, Atopic - microbiology; DNA Damage; DNA Primers; DNA Primers - genetics; Double-Blind Method; etiology; fatty acid composition; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Fatty Acids, Volatile - biosynthesis; Feces; Feces - microbiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gas chromatography; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; gel electrophoresis; genetics; Genotoxicity; Humans; Immunopathology; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillus acidophilus; Lactobacillus acidophilus - metabolism; Lactobacillus paracasei; Male; Medical sciences; metabolism; Metagenome; methods; microbiology; Microbiota; patients; physiology; placebos; Probiotic; probiotics; Probiotics - administration & dosage; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies; tail; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Water; Water - physiology; Young Adult; Probiotic; SCORAD; Microbiota; Bifidobacterium; AD; Atopic dermatitis; TI; Genotoxicity; qPCR; SCFA; Lactobacillus; tail intensity; scoring of atopic dermatitis; short-chain fatty acids; quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; Water; Human; Allergy; Immunopathology; Skin disease; Randomization; Activity; Metabolic diseases; Feces; Atopy
• ISSN: 0261-5614; 1532-1983; 1532-1983
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2011.08.012

Colonic microbiota is involved in the etiology of colon cancer according to several reports. Studies also indicate that the microbiota differs between atopic patients and healthy subjects. To evaluate whether a probiotic mix containing Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus acidophilus 74-2, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DGCC 420 can affect the microbiota and its genotoxic activity in healthy subjects and patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). A placebo-controlled cross-over study was conducted. Fifteen healthy adults and 15 adult AD patients consumed 2×100ml/d of either a probiotic or a placebo drink for 8 weeks followed by a wash out period of 2 weeks before crossing the intervention. Faecal water was isolated from stool samples collected at the end of each period. HT29c19a cells incubated with faecal water were measured for DNA damage using single-cell gel electrophoresis (“comet assay”). Bacterial species were determined by qPCR and concentrations of short-chain fatty acids were measured by means of gas chromatography. Probiotic supplementation resulted in a significant increase in lactobacilli, whereas numbers of Bifidobacteria and Bacteroidetes remained unchanged. Clostridium perfringens cluster I–II was significantly reduced in healthy subjects. Genotoxic potential (expressed as tail intensity) of faecal water, was not affected. However, tail intensity decreased significantly in the probiotic period compared to placebo (23.5 vs. 16.7%) in AD patients. Although faecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids were not affected, faecal pH was significantly reduced (7.0 vs. 6.6) in AD patients after probiotics. The results indicate that probiotics lower the genotoxic potential of faecal water in AD patients. The faecal C. perfringens cluster I–II levels remained unaffected suggesting either a change in their activity, or the fact that other bacterial species are responsible for the reduced genotoxic activity of faecal water.