Alkalihalobacillus clausii (formerly Bacillus clausii) spores lessen antibiotic-induced intestinal injury and reshape gut microbiota composition in mice

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy Vol. 163; p. 114860
• Main Authors: Pirozzi, C., Opallo, N., Coretti, L., Lama, A., Annunziata, C., Comella, F., Melini, S., Buommino, E., Mollica, M.P., Aviello, G., Mattace Raso, G., Lembo, F., Meli, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier Masson SAS 01-07-2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis; Bacillus clausii - physiology; Colon damage; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Gut microbiota; Immunity; Inflammation; Intestinal Diseases - drug therapy; Intestinal Mucosa; Mice; Probiotic; Probiotics - pharmacology; Spores, Bacterial; Probiotic; Gut microbiota; BC; AIJ; GI; CFX; Colon damage; Inflammation; Immunity; Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114860

The antibiotic-induced intestinal injury (AIJ) is associated with diarrhoea and gastrointestinal discomfort. However, the pathological intestinal mechanisms and related side effects associated with antibiotic use/misuse may be counteracted by probiotics. This study aims to evaluate the effect and the protective mechanisms of a probiotic formulation containing Alkalihalobacillus clausii (formerly Bacillus clausii; BC) spores in an experimental model of AIJ. C57/Bl6J mice were orally challenged with a high dose of ceftriaxone for five days along with BC treatment which lasted up to the 15th day. Our results showed the beneficial effect of the probiotic in preserving colonic integrity and limiting tissue inflammation and immune cell infiltration in AIJ mice. BC increased tight junction expression and regulated the unbalanced production of colonic pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, converging toward the full resolution of the intestinal damage. These findings were supported by the histological evaluation of the intestinal mucosa, suggesting a potential restoration of mucus production. Notably, BC treatment increased gene transcription of the secretory products responsible for epithelium repair and mucus synthesis and normalized the expression of antimicrobial peptides involved in immune activation. Reconstruction of complex and diverse gut microbiota in antibiotic-induced dysbiosis was recorded upon BC supplementation. Specifically, the expansion of A. clausii, Prevotella rara and Eubacterium ruminatium drove intestinal microbiota rebalance by primarily impacting Bacteroidota members. Taken together, our data indicate that BC administration alleviates AIJ by multiple converging mechanisms leading to restoring gut integrity and homeostasis and reshaping microbiota composition.
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•Antibiotic misuse is associated with intestinal damage and dysbiosis.•Probiotics can manage gut dysbiosis and related disorders induced by antibiotics.•BC administration restores intestinal architecture and integrity altered by CFX.•BC probiotic treatment reduces gut inflammation and immune response in AIJ mice.•BC spores induces a reshape of gut microbiota depleted by antibiotic treatment.