Project Number: 1235-52000-054-01
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: May 01, 2003
End Date: Apr 29, 2008

Objective:
The overall objective of this project is to identify and measure the effect of BiFidobacterium lactis (Bb12) as a dietary component for early induction of mucosal immune system developement in newborn swine as a model for nutrient conditioning of a balanced immune system in humans.

Approach:
Feeding probiotic bacteria to pregnant sows and subsequently to their newborn offspring can establish probiotic microbes in the intestine early in life. It is hypothesized that probiotic microbes may induce a more balanced maturation of the mucosal immune system. The proposed studies will determine the colonization pattern of Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb12) and their effect on the maturation of the intestinal immune system. After feeding animals probiotic bacteria identification from fecal samples and intestinal associated tissues will be done using specific fluomogenic probes and Real Time PCR. Immune cell phenotype and cytokine MRNA expression in immune cells and tissues after BblZ treatment will be characterized by Flowcytometry and Real Time PCR respectively. The pig model will be used to demonstrate a "proof of principle" for the effectiveness of probiotics on neonatal maturation and modulation of mucosal immunity.