(P19-033-25) Development of Probiotic Fermented Milk for Mitigating Cancer Treatment-Related Nutrient Deficiency

Objectives: Emerging studies suggest that cancer survivors harbor an abnormal gut microbiome and dysfunctional gut barriers due to cancer treatments, which may contribute to deficiencies in vital nutrients like vitamin D, zinc, and iron as well as malnutrition. Impaired nutrient absorption also contributes to micronutrient deficiencies, which are linked with increased nausea, bloating, and diarrhea and overall poor gut health. However, effective strategies to address these deficits in cancer survivors are lacking. Our objectives are to (1) develop and optimize a novel fermented probiotic and (2) determine its impacts on gut and brain health and nutrition in a model of chemotherapy-induced mucositis.

Methods: Here, we have selected four strains of human-origin probiotics and optimized their growth in milk to develop a novel probiotic fermented milk (PFM) drink. We studied the protective effects of PFM on gut health, the gut microbiome, and cognitive function in a mouse model of chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil)-induced mucositis. Ongoing studies aim to elucidate how chemotherapy impacts nutrient absorption, glucose metabolism, and micronutrient levels and the potential of PFM.

Results: We optimized the growth of our strains in low-fat milk to develop PFM, which yields greater than one billion live bacteria per milliliter. PFM significantly protected from body weight loss, microbiome dysbiosis, intestinal inflammation and atrophy, and cognitive function compared to chemotherapy and milk controls. Furthermore, mice fed PFM demonstrated significant differences in metabolic parameters, including fasting ketones and glucose tolerance.

Conclusions: These results pave the way for clinical trials, which we are designing to assess the safety and feasibility as well as the nutritional effects of PFM in breast cancer survivors. Such studies are critical for the development of natural microbiome-based therapeutics for combatting nutrient deficiency in cancer survivors, thereby improving gut health and overall quality of life.

Funding Sources: The authors are thankful for funding support from the Florida Department of Health, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, and the United States Department of Defense.