Therapeutic effect ofLactobacillus rhamnosusSHA113 on intestinal infection by multi-drug-resistantStaphylococcus aureusand its underlying mechanisms

Staphylococcus aureus, especially multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogenicS. aureus, poses a severe threat to food safety and human health. Probiotics offer promising potential for the control of MDR pathogens because of their safe and biofunctional properties. This study shows thatLactobacillus rhamnosusSHA113, a strain isolated from the milk of healthy women, could efficiently inhibit MDRS. aureusbothin vitroandin vivo.In vitro,L. rhamnosusefficiently inhibited and even killed drug resistant and drug sensitiveS. aureusstrains. In vivoexperiments showed that SHA113 could efficiently decrease the number ofS. aureuscells, inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors TNF-alpha and IL-6, and restore the level of white cells and neutrophils in the blood. SHA113 could also efficiently repair damage of the intestinal barrier and other functions impaired byS. aureusinfection. This was indicated by a change of intestinal villi length and structure, and an up-regulated expression of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin. SHA113 also restored the structural damage of immune organs, such as the enlargement of the spleen and the increased level of inflammatory cytokines caused byS. aureusinfection. More importantly,L. rhamnosusSHA113 showed more effective inhibitory and therapeutic effects on MDRS. aureusstrain ZBQ006 than on drug sensitiveS. aureusstrain 29213. These results illustrated thatL. rhamnosusSHA113 has great potential for the treatment of MDRS. aureuscontamination as food control and for therapeutic treatment.