Testing the adhesion and colonization ability of Lactobacillus plantarum strain S1 to the mice intestinal epithelium

Intestinal diseases are often the consequence of a myriad factors which disturb the complex ecosystem of the gastrointestinal system. For that reason, great attention is dedicated to the use of lactic acid bacteria as probiotics. When choosing the strains for probiotic use, one of the important criteria is the ability of adhesion and binding to the intestinal epithelium. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the possibility of adhesion and colonization of Lactobacillus plantarum strain S1 to gastrointestinal system of mice. At the same time the influence of L. plantarum S1 on composition of intestinal microflora of mice was examined. To test the in vitro adhesion properties, bacteria were added to freshly prepared tissue of the BALB/c mice small intestine. Mice were fed with L. plantarum strain S1 for 5 consecutive days. The result showed that L. plantarum strain S1 have good adhesion ability, in vitro and in vivo. The examined strain of L. plantarum successfully colonize the gastrointestinal system of mice and it showed a positive effect on the intestinal microflora, reducing the number of enterobacteria and clostridia. In conclusion, L. plantarum strain S1 shows good properties of adhesion and colonization of the gastrointestinal system of mice and for that reasons could be used as a probiotic strain.