The mucus binding of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 is enhanced in the presence of Lactobacillus GG and Lact. delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus

The ability to adhere to mucosal surfaces is related to many probiotic heal th effects. In the presence of Lactobacillus GG or Lact. bulgaricus, the ad hesion of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 to a mucus model was more than double d. Other tested lactobacilli did not affect the adhesion, nor was the adhes ion of the lactobacilli influenced by the bifidobacteria. Co-aggregation be tween Bif. lactis Bb12 and the tested lactobacilli was insignificant and do es not explain the observed effect. The results suggest that combinations o f probiotics strains may have synergistic adhesion effects, Such specific s train combinations should also be assessed in clinical studies.