Summary
The influence ofEnterococcus faecalis on the morphology of the bacterial cells which make up the gut microflora and on the levels of circulating IgG bound to the gut microflora was assessed. After 29 days of pretreatment monitoring, ten healthy human volunteers ingested 107 viable cells ofE. faecalis three times daily, for 21 days. After this treatment another 21 days of follow-up completed the study. Each volunteer delivered eleven faecal samples during the entire study period of 71 days with a 7 day interval. Before and after the faeces sampling period, blood samples were collected from all volunteers. The influence of the ingestion ofE. faecalis on the morphology of the gut microflora was measured by image analysis. In addition, the binding of circulating IgG to intestinal bacteria in all intermediate faecal samples was measured by means of quantitative immunofluorescence. The oral administration ofE. faecalis resulted in a significant change of the morphological composition of the gut microflora and in a significant decrease in IgG-binding capacity of the gut microflora.
Zusammenfassung
Der Einfluß vonEnterococcus faecalis auf die Morphologie der Bakterienzellen der Darmflora und auf die Bindungsfähigkeit von IgG an die Darmflora wurde bestimmt. Nach 29 Tagen Beobachtungs-Vorphase nahmen 10 freiwillige gesunde Versuchspersonen 21 Tage lang dreimal täglich 107 lebende Zellen vonE. faecalis ein. Die Studie wurde nach einer weiteren Beobachtungszeit von 21 Tagen beendet. Während der gesamten Studienphase von 71 Tagen lieferte jeder der Probanden 11 Stuhlproben in siebentägigen Abständen ab. Vor und nach der Gewinnung der Stuhlprobe wurden von allen Probanden Blutproben entnommen. Der Einfluß der Einnahme vonE. faecalis auf die Morphologie der Mikroflora des Darmes wurde durch Bildanalyse beurteilt. Zusätzlich wurde die Bindungsfähigkeit von Serum-IgG an die Darmbakterien bei allen Stuhlproben der mittleren Studienphase mittels quantitativer Immunfluoreszenz bestimmt. Die orale Applikation vonE. faecalis führte zu einer signifikanten Veränderung der Zusammensetzung der Darmflora gemessen an ihrem morphologischen Erscheinungsbild. Zugleich nahm die Fähigkeit der Darmflora zur Bindung von IgG signifikant ab.
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Jansen, G., Deddens, B., Wilkinson, M. et al. The influence ofEnterococcus faecalis on the morphology and the antibody-binding capacity of the intestinal bacteria of ten healthy human volunteers. Infection 23, 46–50 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01710058
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01710058