Effect of probiotics at last explained

19 February 2009 - For the first time, there is molecular evidence that probiotics have a very specific effect on the activity of our genes in the intestinal wall. This was announced earlier this month.

Thanks to these important research results, an understanding has been gained of the mechanism by which these benign intestinal bacteria can influence our resistance.

Healthy volunteers swallowed live cells of a probiotic lactic acid bacteria, dead cells of the same probiotic or a placebo, respectively. The bacteria used was the Lactobacillus plantarum, because the genes of this particular bacteria have been entirely charted out. In biopsies of the duodenum, it was subsequently demonstrated according to gene expression that the live probiotics have a clear effect on processes in the body cells. These processes raise the level of awareness of the immune system, enabling the defensive mechanisms to swing into action.

This groundbreaking research programme included Dutch scientists from Top Institute Food and Nutrition, the University of Maastricht, NIZO food research, Wageningen UR and the Radboud University in Nijmegen. The results will appear in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (PNAS Online Early Edition).