Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118™ Dampens Inflammation and Promotes Microbiota Recovery to Provide Therapeutic Benefit in a DSS-Induced Colitis Model

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 a 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, UCC118™ 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 the severity of the disease in the early stages. Improvement in disease severity was 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 the resolution of inflammation. This was supported in a mouse model of established DSS-induced colitis whereby UCC118(TM) treatment accelerated recovery, as evidenced by weight, stool, histological markers and the recovery of microbiome-associated dysbiosis with an increased abundance of beneficial commensal species. These results demonstrate the potential of Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118(TM) as a probiotic-based therapeutic strategy to promote health through the upregulation of anti-inflammatory IL-10 and protect against dysbiosis during IBD.