EFFECT OF FEEDING OF A CHOLESTEROL-REDUCING BACTERIUM, EUBACTERIUM COPROSTANOLIGENES, TO GERM-FREE MICE

Twelve germ-free mice were used to evaluate the effect of orally admin istered Eubacterium coprostanoligenes (ATCC 51222) on serum cholestero l concentration, After 1 week of bacterial administration, serum chole sterol concentration of the experimental group (204.9 +/- 5.3 mg/dl, m ean +/- SEM) tended to be lower than that of controls (213.7 +/- 5.9 m g/dl, mean +/- SEM). The hypocholesterolemic effect, however, was tran sient. Greater coprostanol-to-cholesterol ratios in feces of bacteria- fed mice also indicated a transient cholesterol-reducing action of E. coprostanoligenes in the intestine, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes did not colonize the intestine of E. coprostanoligenes-fed mice. Results i ndicate that the transient occurrence of E. coprostanoligenes in the d igestive tract of E. coprostanoligenes-fed mice may decrease plasma ch olesterol concentration, but colonization of the tract depends on mono association with another bacterium. Results also indicate that feeding of E. coprostanoligenes decreases blood cholesterol concentration.