Gut health promoting activity of new putative probiotic/protective Lactobacillus spp. strains: A functional study in the small intestinal cell model

In interaction studies with the host intestine, the use of the appropriate gut functional cell model is essential. Therefore, we examined the protective properties of selected lactobacilli in a newly established intestinal cell model. Bacteria were cocultured with the pig small intestinal epithelial cells (PSIc1) and pig blood monocytes (PoM2) in a functional intestinal cell model. Intercellular intestinal integrity was measured by transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), before and after coculture with selected bacterial strains. All selected bacterial strains showed important gut health promoting activity by: enhancing the intestinal integrity and increasing metabolic activity of intestinal cells. Stimulation of immune response was strain specific. The best stimulants were unidentified lactobacillus strains obtained from fermented food in Africa (PCK87 and 66), followed by Lactobacillus plantarum (PCS26). Their activity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the commercial Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain.