Probiotics May Limit Liver Damage

NAPLES, Italy—Data from a recent study suggests VSL#3 administration could limit oxidative and inflammatory liver damage in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (J Nutr. 2009;139(5):905-11). Researchers tested the potential effect of the probiotic VSL#3 (a multistrain preparation composed of Streptococcus thermophilus and several species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria) on oxidative and inflammatory damage induced by a high-fat diet in the liver of young rats. At weaning, young male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=6) fed a standard, nonpurified diet (Std; 5.5 percdent of energy from fat) or a high-fat liquid diet (HFD; 71 percent of energy from fat). One of the HFD groups received VSL# through a tube. After four weeks, the HFD rats had greater body weight gain, fat mass, serum aminotransferase and liver weight than rats fed the Std diet. The HFD induced liver lipid peroxidation, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production, protein S-nitrosylation, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression and metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Moreover, in the HFD group, PPAR-alpha expression was less than in rats fed the Std diet. In rats fed the HFD diet and treated with VSL#3, liver TNF levels, MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities, and expression of iNOS and COX-2 were significantly lower than in the HFD group. In VSL#3-treated rats, PPAR-alpha expression was greater than in the HFD group. A modulation of the nuclear factor-B pathway by VSL#3 was also demonstrated.