Microbiology & Immunology Publications
Contemporary issues in Ob/Gyn & women's health - The rationale for probiotics in female urogenital healthcare
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-17-2009
Journal
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Volume
15
Issue
4
First Page
515
Last Page
525
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1002/ibd.20808
Abstract
Background: Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in the hematopoiesis of granulocytes, neuroprotection, and immunomodulation. Previously, we have shown that probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 induces G-CSF production from bone marrow-derived macrophages. Whether this probiotic also induces G-CSF in intestinal mononuclear cells is unknown. Methods: G-CSF release in response to L. rhamnosus GR-1 was analyzed in isolated intestinal lamina propria mononuclear cells from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and non-IBD patients. The effects of G-CSF on proinflammatory cytokine production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and intestinal tissue from C57BL/6 wildtype and G-CSF receptor knockout mice was examined. Results: Normal mouse or human intestinal lamina propria cells constitutively express high levels of G-CSF, of which production was further enhanced by exogenous L. rhamnosus GR-1. However, cells obtained from IBD patients showed reduced G-CSF production under basal conditions and also lower production after exogenous GR-1 treatments. Intestinal tissue samples isolated from G-CSF receptor-deficient mice constitutively expressed higher levels of TNF, IL-23, and IL-12 than those from wildtype mice, and pretreatment of G-CSF suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-23 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that high G-CSF production induced by commensals such as L. rhamnosus is important in maintaining normal immunological homeostasis in the intestine and defects in the production of G-CSF are associated with IBD. Copyright © 2008 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.