Lactobacillus plantarum AS1 binds to cultured human intestinal cell line HT-29 and inhibits cell attachment by enterovirulent bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

AIM

Lactobacillus plantarum AS1 was incubated with HT-29 adenocarcinoma cell line to assess its adhesion potency and examined for its inhibitory effect on the cell attachment by an enterovirulent bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Lactobacillus plantarum AS1 attached efficiently to HT-29 cells as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and bacterial adhesion assay. Lactobacillus plantarum AS1 significantly reduced V. parahaemolyticus attached to HT-29 cells by competition, exclusion and displacement mode. Lactobacillus plantarum AS1 seems to adhere to human intestinal cells via mechanisms that involve different combinations of carbohydrate and protein factors on the bacteria and eukaryotic cell surface.

CONCLUSION

Strain Lact. plantarum AS1 inhibits the cell attachment of a pathogen V. parahaemolyticus by steric hindrance mechanism. Also, antibacterial factors such as bacteriocins, lactic acid and exopolysaccharides could be involved.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The ability to inhibit the adhesion of V. parahaemolyticus to intestinal cell line warrants further investigation to explore the use of probiotic strain Lact. plantarum AS1 in the management of gastroenteritis caused by V. parahaemolyticus.