Antagonistic activity against Helicobacter pylori infection in vitro by a strain of Enterococcus faecium TM39.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains from infant feces were screened for anti-Helicobacter pylori use. In the beginning, we selected the strains based on their capability to adhere to the human intestinal epithelial cell (Int-407), colonial enterocyte-like Caco-2 cell, human cervical epithelioid carcinoma cell (HeLa), and human gastric carcinoma cell (TSGH 9201). Then, acid and bile salt tolerance of these LAB strains was evaluated. In addition, the ability of these LAB strains to inhibit the growth of H. pylori and to expel H. pylori cells from TSGH 9201 were studied. The spent culture supernatant (SCS) of a selected strain TM39, i.e., TM39-SCS, significantly inhibited the viability of H. pylori in vitro. It also inhibited the urease activity of H. pylori in vitro. For these antagonistic effects, in addition to pH and lactic acid, some factors in TM39-SCS might play the major role. Treatment of H. pylori with the SCS or cells of strain TM39 significant reduced its binding to TSGH 9201 cells. Although strain TM39 is identified as Enterococcus faecium, it is not vancomycin resistant and is proved to be safe through the invasion study and a 28-day feeding study with Wistar rats. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.