Human ileostomy glycoproteins as a model for small intestinal mucus to investigate adhesion of probiotics

Human ileostomy glycoproteins mere used as a model for small intestinal muc us to investigate the adhesion of 12 Lactobacillus strains, one Lactococcus strain and one Propionibacterium strain. Both probiotic and dairy strains were tested. Adhesive and non-adhesive Escherichia coli strains were used a s controls. All the strains were also nested for their adhesion to polystyr ene. Adhesion to ileostomy glycoproteins and to polystyrene varied signific antly among the strains tested. Lactobacillus rhamnosus (human isolate), La ctobacillus GG, Lact. acidophilus 1 and P. freudenreichii adhered to ileost omy glycoproteins. Adhesion was concentration-dependent and the most adhesi ve strains were able to saturate the substratum. These results indicate tha t human ileostomy glycoproteins can be used as a model system to select pot ential probiotic strains to complement the adhesion test with intestinal ce ll lines.