The study titled “Bifidobacteria can protect from enteropathogenic infection through production of acetate” (Nature Medicine, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41591-018-0092-9) presents a compelling insight into how specific probiotic bacteria can enhance host defenses against intestinal pathogens.
Researchers investigated the role of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, a commonly found gut bacterium in breast-fed infants, in providing protection against enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), a major cause of severe gastrointestinal infections in young children. Their work reveals that this protective effect is largely attributed to the bacterium’s ability to produce acetate, a short-chain fatty acid with immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties.
Using mouse models and in vitro human intestinal organoid cultures, the study demonstrated that acetate not only strengthens the intestinal epithelial barrier but also suppresses pathogen-induced inflammation and prevents cell death from bacterial toxins. The researchers further found that a diet low in fermentable carbohydrates diminished B. infantis colonization and acetate production, highlighting the importance of diet in microbiota-driven immune protection.
This study provides strong evidence for the potential of including specific strains of Bifidobacteria or acetate-producing probiotics as functional food supplements to prevent or mitigate diarrheal diseases, especially in vulnerable populations such as infants. It also reinforces the concept of the microbiota-gut-immunity axis and the relevance of microbial metabolites in host defense mechanisms, suggesting promising avenues for nutritional and therapeutic interventions based on dietary modulation of the microbiome.