(P19-047-25) Effects of Supplementing Bacillus coagulans Spores and Total Western Diet on Gut Health and Inflammation

Objectives: The total western diet (TWD) matches nutrient-poor, high-caloric diets seen in western culture that show diet-induced gut inflammation phenotypes, unlike most semi-purified rodent diets. This work aimed to assess the health effects of consuming a TWD and Bacillus coagulans probiotic supplements to mice with induced colitis.

Methods: To avoid gavage stress, a feeding method was developed to deliver a daily measured probiotic dose in a cereal puff to the treatment group. Initial testing investigated general gut health over 4 weeks, followed by measuring gut inflammation and colitis recovery for 6 weeks. To induce colitis, mice were injected with azoxymethane and given dextran sulfate sodium for 10 days in their water. Half the mice were then harvested while the rest spent 2 weeks in recovery. At harvest, cecal samples were collected and colons were fixed for histopathology assessments. Fecal samples and weights were collected bi-weekly. Probiotic recoverability was completed by plating fecal samples on Bacillus selective media, short chain fatty acids by GC-FID, microbiome composition by 16S rRNA sequencing, and general gut health measured from fecal calprotectin by ELISA.

Results: Dosing the probiotic via cereal puffs resulted in greater weight retention (p < 0.001) and lower levels of inflammation indicated by fecal calprotectin levels (p < 0.01) compared to gavaging. When assessing general gut health, there were no differences in weight gain, but the probiotic treatment displayed trends showing lower levels of calprotectin. Additionally, colon length was significantly longer (p < 0.05). There were trends for greater inflammation during active colitis, but reduced inflammation and increased weight gain during recovery in the histopathology scoring for mice receiving the probiotic.

Conclusions: Delivering the probiotic doses in cereal puffs significantly decreased inflammation and weight loss when compared to traditional gavage techniques. Supplementing B. coagulans with a TWD diet had significant differences in colon length, but resulted in few effects on weight change, active inflammation markers, and colitis severity. However, trends showed the probiotic group exhibited greater recuperation after colitis induction, suggesting B. coagulans could aid in recovery from colitis.

Funding Sources: Jeneil Biotech Inc.
Utah State University