Combined Supplementation of <i>Clostridium butyricum</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium infantis</i> Diminishes Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Intestinal Alterations via Activation of Nrf-2 Signaling Pathway in Rats

Abstract

Exposure to long-term chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) can cause redox imbalance and inflammation, which may affect the integrity of the gut barrier. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of a probiotics bacterium mixture, including Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) and Bifidobacterium infantis (B. infantis), on the intestinal homeostasis in rats exposed to multiple low-intensity stressors for 28 days. The mechanism of CUMS-induced altered intestinal homeostasis was evaluated by focusing on the nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2) pathway. In contrast to the CUMS group, probiotic mixture supplementation significantly (p p C. butyricum and B. infantis significantly attenuated CUMS-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and T-lymphocyte modulation by upregulating Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling and inhibiting NF-κB expression in rat intestine.

Keywords

• <i>Clostridium butyricum</i>
• <i>Bifidobacterium infantis</i>
• CUMS
• intestine
• Nrf-2 signaling