Evaluation of vitamin‐producing and immunomodulatory lactic acid bacteria as a potential co‐adjuvant for cancer therapy in a mouse model

LEVIT, ROMINA; DE GIORI, GRACIELA SAVOY; DE MORENO DE LEBLANC, ALEJANDRA; LEBLANC, JEAN GUY

JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2021 vol. 130 p. 2063 - 2074

1364-5072

Aims: To evaluate a mixture of selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (a riboflavin-producer, a folate-producer and an immunomodulatory strain) as co-adjuvant for chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in cell culture and using an animal model of breast cancer. Methods and results: In vitro, the viability of Caco-2 cells exposed to 5-FU and/or LAB was analyzed. In vivo, mice bearing breast tumor were treated with 5-FU and/or LAB. Tumor growth was measured. Intestinal mucositis (IM) was evaluated in small intestine; hematological parameters and plasma cytokines were determined. The bacterial mixture did not negatively affect the cytotoxic activity of 5-FU on Caco-2 cells. The LAB mixture attenuated the IM and prevented blood cell decreases associated to 5-FU treatment. Mice that received 5-FU and LAB mixture decreased tumor growth and showed modulation of systemic cytokines modified by both tumor growth and 5-FU treatment. The LAB mixture alone delayed tumor growth. Conclusions: The mixture of selected LAB was able to reduce the side-effects associated with chemotherapy without affecting its primary anti-tumor activity. Significance and impact of the study: This bacterial mixture could prevent the interruption of conventional oncologic therapies by reducing undesirable side-effects. In addition, this blend would provide essential nutrients (vitamins) to oncology patients .