大量研究表明,噬菌体(噬菌体)可以有效治疗肠道细菌感染。然而,关于噬菌体进入肠道后对整体身体健康影响的研究是有限的。这项研究以断奶仔猪为受试者,以评估口服噬菌体混合物对其健康的全身影响。将12只21日龄断奶仔猪分为对照组(CON)和噬菌体灌胃组(噬菌体)。噬菌体混合物由五种裂解噬菌体组成,靶向肠道沙门氏菌(S.choleraesuis),肠致病性大肠杆菌(EPEC),和产志贺毒素的大肠杆菌(STEC)。噬菌体组连续20天口服10mL噬菌体混合物。结果表明,噬菌体灌胃不影响仔猪的生长性能,血清生化指标,或者大多数器官指数,除了胰腺.然而,对肠道的影响是复杂的。首先,虽然胰腺指数有所下降,它不影响肠道消化酶的分泌。其次,噬菌体增加了空肠食糜的pH值和回肠的相对重量,增强肠屏障功能而不影响肠道形态。第三,噬菌体在肠道内没有增殖,但是改变了肠道微生物群结构,增加了结肠食糜中微生物代谢产物异丁酸和异戊酸的浓度。此外,噬菌体影响了免疫状态,显著增加血清IgA,IgG,还有IgM,以及血清和肠粘膜IFN-γ,IL-1β,IL-17和TGF-β,并降低IL-4和IL-10。它们还激活toll样受体TLR-4和TLR-9。除了嗜碱性粒细胞数量增加外,血液中其他免疫细胞的数量没有变化。这项研究表明,噬菌体对身体健康的影响是复杂的,特别是关于免疫状态,值得进一步关注。短期噬菌体灌胃对健康没有明显的负面影响,但可以增强肠道屏障功能。
Numerous studies have demonstrated that bacteriophages (phages) can effectively treat intestinal bacterial infections. However, research on the impact of phages on overall body health once they enter the intestine is limited. This study utilized weaned piglets as subjects to evaluate the systemic effects of an orally administered phage cocktail on their health. Twelve 21-day-old weaned piglets were divided into control (CON) and phage gavage (Phages) groups. The phage cocktail consisted of five lytic phages, targeting Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis (S. choleraesuis), Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), and Shiga tox-in-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The phages group received 10 mL of phage cocktail orally for 20 consecutive days. The results show that the phage gavage did not affect the piglets\' growth performance, serum biochemical indices, or most organ indices, except for the pancreas. However, the impact on the intestine was complex. Firstly, although the pancreatic index decreased, it did not affect the secretion of digestive enzymes in the intestine. Secondly, phages increased the pH of jejunum chyme and relative weight of the ileum, and enhanced intestinal barrier function without affecting the morphology of the intestine. Thirdly, phages did not proliferate in the intestine, but altered the intestinal microbiota structure and increased concentrations of microbial metabolites isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid in the colonic chyme. In addition, phages impacted the immune status, significantly increasing serum IgA, IgG, and IgM, as well as serum and intestinal mucosal IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-17, and TGF-β, and decreasing IL-4 and IL-10. They also activated toll-like receptors TLR-4 and TLR-9. Apart from an increase in basophil numbers, the counts of other immune cells in the blood did not change. This study indicates that the impact of phages on body health is complex, especially regarding immune status, warranting further attention. Short-term phage gavage did not have significant negative effects on health but could enhance intestinal barrier function.