Oral Administration of Clostridium butyricum GKB7 Ameliorates Signs of Osteoarthritis in Rats

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative and painful inflammatory joint disease affecting the cartilage, bone, and synovial membranes, without any effective treatment that targets the underlying mechanisms of OA. Our study evaluated the therapeutic effects of a live probiotic strain, Clostridium butyricum GKB7, administered for 6 weeks to rats with knee OA (KOA) induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) of the right knee. All rats underwent weekly weight-bearing behavioral testing and body weight measurements. At 6 weeks, all rats were sacrificed, and the right hind knees were collected for micro-computed tomography imaging and histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. Compared with rats in the ACLT-only group, ACLT rats administered the probiotic exhibited dramatic improvements in pain-related behavior from postoperative week 2, had significantly less osseous and cartilaginous damage at week 6, and significantly lower levels of the inflammatory markers interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in cartilage and synovium sections. C. butyricum GKB7 appeared to slow or even reverse OA progression and is worth investigating as a novel therapeutic for OA.

Probing the antinociceptive and therapeutic potential of probiotics in managing temporomandibular joint arthritis

“…However, further studies are necessary in this context. To further understand the potential advantages of PT, we evaluated several studies 21 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 in animal models, which have examined the influence of PT on experimentally induced arthritis ( Table 2 ). Intriguingly, the findings from these animal studies 21 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 aligned with those obtained from RCTs 23 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 regarding pain management and decreased expression of DICs in relation to arthritis.…”

“…To further understand the potential advantages of PT, we evaluated several studies 21 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 in animal models, which have examined the influence of PT on experimentally induced arthritis ( Table 2 ). Intriguingly, the findings from these animal studies 21 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 aligned with those obtained from RCTs 23 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 regarding pain management and decreased expression of DICs in relation to arthritis. Moreover, in an experimental study, 35 PT has been found to increase the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10), thus potentially decreasing pain sensation and inflammation in rats with experimentally induced arthritis.…”

“… 36 14 rats 11 weeks Test group: LA Control group: placebo 2 months Pain behavior assessment b Joint pathology Decreased pain behavior in the test group Cartilage protection in the test group Chang et al. 37 14 rats 8 weeks Test group: CB Control group: placebo 1.5 months Pain behavior assessment c Decreased pain behavior in the test group BV/TV: trabecular bone volume; CB: Clostridium butyricum ; CT: Computed tomography; Gln: glucosamine; IFNγ: interferon-gamma; LA: Lactobacillus acidophilus ; LcP: Lacticaseibacillus paracasei; NR: not reported; LcS: Lactobacillus casei Shirota; LR: Lactobacillus rhamnosus. a Performed with a dynamic plantar aesthesiometer.…”

The immune role of the intestinal microbiome in knee osteoarthritis: a review of the possible mechanisms and therapies

“…reported that oral consumption of lyophilized inactivated culture from Bifidobacterium longum for 12 weeks reduced the structural damage of joint cartilage, synovial inflammation and type II collagen degradation in spontaneous OA pig model, indicating a potential preventive role of Bifidobacterium longum in the progression of OA ( 149 ). According to the research by Li et al., oral supplementation with Clostridium butyricum could relieve OA pain, ameliorate cartilage damage and inhibit synovial hyperplasia by downregulating TNF-α and IL-1β in OA cartilage and synovium of rat models ( 150 ). Lin and colleagues revealed that Lactobacillus plantarum improved joint mechanical load, alleviated cartilage damage, and reduced synovial inflammation by inhibiting inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β) in OA cartilage and synovium of the anterior cruciate ligament transection-induced rat models ( 151 ).…”

Oral administration of live combined Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium alleviates colonic oxidative stress and inflammation in osteoarthritic rats by improving fecal microbiome metabolism and enhancing the colonic barrier

“…Oral inactivation of Bifidobacterium longum cultures reduced structural cartilage lesions and decreased type II collagen degradation in OA guinea pigs (Henrotin et al, 2021 ). Oral administration of C. butyricum slowed or even reversed ACLT-induced knee OA progression in rats, which may be related to butyrate enhancing the intestinal barrier and reducing systemic inflammation (Chang et al, 2022 ). The use of B. subtilis and E. faecium in OA has not been reported, but B. subtilis has an effect on bone loss, and B. subtilis and E. faecium have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.…”