Rosell Probiotic Challenge Awards Brain-Gut Research

MONTREALInstitut Rosell-Lallemand and the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute announced the winners of the Third Rosell Probiotic Challenge.  The prizes were rewarded to study researchers during the Digestive Disease Week (DDW 2011), after six short-listed finalists gave poster presentations during an AGA topic forum dedicated to pre- and probiotics.

Amber Park, a doctorate student from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada, won the first cash prize for her insights into the mode of action of probiotics to interact with the brain-gut communication: The anxiolytic effect of Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 requires vagal integrity for gut-brain communication."

Parks study looked at the possible modes of action of Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 involved in the mitigation of anxiety-like behavior in a mouse model of chronic, low-grade inflammation. It showed the mechanism by which the probiotic improves behavior does not appear to involve gut mucosal immuno-modulation, or a direct effect of metabolites on the neural cells and that B. longum may communicate with the central nervous system by activating vagal pathways at the level of the enteric nervous system, providing insight into the probiotic mode of action to interact with the brain-gut axis.

The second prize winner is Lisa Kish, a M.Sc. student from University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for her study on the interactions of probiotic (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052) with the diet and host genotype Effects of probiotics on host immune function and behavior are dependent upon genotype and diet."

Kishs study looked into the effect on the gut-brain axis of two different probiotic strains according to the host genotype and the diet, a novel concept sometimes referred to as the Gutome, which takes into account interactions between the host, the guts microflora and the diet. The aim of this study was to examine if the host diet altered the ability of probiotics to modulate immune function and behavior under normal and inflammatory conditions. First of all, it was shown that, in mice, a western diet" (high in fat and carbohydrates) increased weight gain, altered gut microflora (lower diversity), impaired learning behavior, altered gut cytokine secretion and enhanced anxiety, when compared to control mice diet.  Interestingly, the ability of probiotic strains to modulate these factors was genotype-, strain- and diet-dependent. L.helveticus R0052 enhanced learning ability and increased exploratory behavior in IL-10-/- mice on both diets. In WT mice, L.helveticus R0052 increased exploratory behavior only in mice on the western diet. These findings have direct relevance to the clinical use of probiotics.

Sonia Yoon, fellow at University of Rochester, NY, earned the third prize for her study on Probiotic regulation of vitamin D receptors in intestinal inflammation," which bears potential in the treatment and prevention of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Yoons study showed probiotics are able to enhance vitamin D receptors (VDR) gene expression and activities using various animal models. Vitamin D receptors exert critical functions in regulating bacterial colonization, tight junction structure, anti-inflammatory actions, and intestinal homeostasis. Moreover, low VDR expression and dysfunction of vitamin D/VDR signaling are reported in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Understanding how probiotics enhance VDR signaling and inhibit inflammation will allow probiotics to be used effectively, resulting in innovative approaches to prevention and treatment of IBD.

The Rosell Probiotic Challenge aims to promote awareness and education in probiotics among future researchers such as students. It is open to undergraduates, graduates, post-doctoral fellows and residents. The challenge consists of conducting a study related to probiotics and submitting findings as a scientific poster. All entries are being judged by a scientific panel consisting of three judges appointed by the AGA Institute and two appointed by Institut Rosell.