Abstract

Characteristic changes in the microbiota biostructure and a decreased tolerance to intestinal bacteria have been associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, few studies have examined the constituents of the intestinal microbiota, including the surface molecules of the bacteria, in healthy and IBD subsets. Here, we compare the chemical structures and immunomodulatory properties of the exopolysaccharides (EPS) of lactobacilli isolated from mice with induced IBD (IBD "+") versus those of healthy mice (IBD "-"). Classical structural analyses were performed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Immunomodulatory properties were assessed by stimulation of dendritic cells derived from mouse bone marrow or human peripheral mononuclear blood cells. Our results revealed that EPS produced by IBD "+" species are structurally different from those isolated from IBD "-". Moreover, the structurally different EPS generate different immune responses by dendritic cells. We speculate that resident strains could, upon gut inflammation, switch to producing EPS with specific motifs that are absent from lactobacilli IBD "-", and/or that bacteria with a particular EPS structure might inhabit the inflamed intestinal mucosa. This study may shed light on the role of EPS in IBD and help the development of a specific probiotic therapy for this disease.

Keywords

Polysacccharides, structure, immunology

Published in

Scientific Reports
2016, Volume: 6, article number: 37613
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

SLU Authors

• Sandström, Corine

  • The Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Analytical Chemistry
Immunology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep37613

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79281