Probiotic Bacteria Stimulate Gut Epithelial Cell Proliferation in Rat

Probiotics are used for various intestinaldiseases. However, their effects on gut epithelial cellproliferation have not been investigated. Weadministered 107 colony-forming units ofLactobacillus casei or Clostridium butyricum , or no probiotics(control) by gastric intubation once a day for sevendays to rats fed an elemental diet. We estimated thecrypt cell production rate of the jejunum, ileum, cecum, and distal colon. We also quantified cecalbacteria. Both probiotics increased the crypt cellproduction rate of the jejunum and ileum by 25-40%, ofthe cecum by 70%, and of the distal colon by more than 200% compared with control. Only minor variancein the cecal bacterial composition existed among thethree groups. Probiotics enhanced gut epithelial cellproliferation in rats fed an elemental diet.