The synergistic tumor growth-inhibitory effect of probiotic Lactobacillus on transgenic mouse model of pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal and chemo-resistant cancers worldwide. Growing evidence supports the theory that the gut microbiota plays an essential role in modulating the host response to anti-cancer therapy. The present study aimed to explore the effect of probiotics as an adjuvant during chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. An LSL-KrasG12D/−-Pdx-1-Cre mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was created to study the effects of using four-week multi-strain probiotics (Lactobacillus paracasei GMNL-133 and Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-89) as an adjuvant therapy for controlling cancer progression. At 12 weeks of age, pancreatitis was induced in the mice by two intraperitoneal injection with caerulein (25 μg/kg 2 days apart). Over the next 4 weeks the mice were treated with intraperitoneal injections of gemcitabine in combination with the oral administration of probiotics. The pancreas was then harvested for analysis. Following caerulein treatment, the pancreases of the LSL-KrasG12D/−-Pdx-1-Cre transgenic mice exhibited more extensive pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) formation. Combined treatment with gemcitabine and probiotics revealed a lower grade of PanIN formation and a decrease in the expression of vimentin and Ki-67. Mice that received gemcitabine in combination with probiotics had lower aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Notably, the use of high-dose probiotics alone without gemcitabine also had an inhibitory effect on PanIN changes and serum liver enzyme elevation. These findings suggest that probiotics are able to make standard chemotherapy more effective and could help improve the patient’s tolerance of chemotherapy.

Immunosuppressive activity is attenuated by Astragalus polysaccharides through remodeling the gut microenvironment in melanoma mice

“… 36 Lactobacillus and Lactobacillus johnsonii , as probiotics in the intestine, are important in maintaining host intestinal homeostasis and regulating host immune response. 37 Lactobacillus has been proved in several studies to have an antitumor effect, 38 , 39 and Lactobacillus johnsonii is also thought to enhance the efficacy of anti–CTLA4. 40 In addition, we found that APS was able to increase the abundance of Faecalibaculum rodentium , which could exert an antitumor effect in a mouse model of colorectal cancer by producing short‐chain fatty acids, while Holdemanella biformis , the bacteria corresponding to Faecalibaculum rodentium in the human body, could also inhibit tumor cell growth in vitro through release of short‐chain fatty acids.…”

Gut and Endometrial Microbiome Dysbiosis: A New Emergent Risk Factor for Endometrial Cancer

“…Gemcitabine treatment is known to cause increased levels of liver enzymes. After combining the treatment with probiotics, a decrease in the level of these enzymes was observed [82].…”

Microorganisms in chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer: An overview of current research and future directions

“…positive lactic acid bacterium located in the human intestine. Adding Lactobacillus paracasei to a mouse model treated with gemcitabine can improve the efficacy of the chemotherapy and increase tolerance [160]. Further research showed that it primarily elevated IFN to transfer the Th2 immune phenotype into the Th1 immune phenotype, subsequently enhancing the antitumor ability [161].…”