Use of genetically engineered lactic acid bacteria for the treatment of crohn's disease

Abstract

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) represent a heterogeneous group of microorganisms that are naturally present in many foods and possess a wide range of therapeutic properties. Although probiotic effects are a strain dependent trait, using modern genetic engineering techniques it is theoretically possible to obtain strains that can exert a variety of beneficial properties. For example, the introduction of antioxidant enzyme genes or cytokine producing capabilities in current probiotic strains that have natural anti-inflammatory properties, such as the ability to modulate the immune dependent processes, could generate very useful strains that could be applied in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory bowel (IBD) diseases such as Crohn´s disease and ulcerative colitis. These strains could also be included in treatment protocols since it has been shown that probiotics can enhance the effectiveness of traditional IBD treatments. This chapter will present a brief overview of the current expanding knowledge of the mechanisms by which LAB participate in the prevention of inflammatory processes and the uses of engineering strategies for the development of new LAB that produce either antioxidant enzymes (such as catalase and superoxide dismutase) or anti-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-10). These novel strains could be used in new treatment protocols since they could enhance the effectiveness of traditional therapies.