In the infected caco-2, the green fluorescence were dispersedly distributed, and occludin staining became punctate with some loss from the membrane as opposed to the uniform membrane staining in controls. In the co-incubation with L. plantarum, the green spots distribution were decreased compared with control group, however its expression were better than in EIEC group (Fig. 5.). Figure 5 L. plantarum Serine/threonin kinase inhibitor prevents EIEC-induced rearrangements of Claudin-1, Occludin, JAM-1 and ZO-1 proteins. The intensity

of the stain of the infected cells was decreased compared to that observed for control cells. In addition, areas where the TJ proteins belts were disrupted were present (arrows). Images were collected in 1-μm increments beginning at the apical aspect of the monolayers and optically sectioning to the basolateral membrane. Original magnification ×2400. LY2874455 L. plantarum prevents EIEC-induced rearrangements

of the epithelial cell cytoskeleton elements F-actin To examine whether the barrier disruption is associated with redistribution of actin, F-actin staining with FITC-labelled phalloidin was Selleck GDC-941 carried out in the study. In the following studies, the possible involvement of cytoskeletal elements actin and the effect of L. plantarum on actin were visualized by fluorescent labeling of these structures. The staining pattern of control Caco-2 cells showed a continuous lined distributing at the cell borders and cytoskeletal. A high density of actin filaments was present at the apical peri-junctional regions and encircled the cells in a belt-like manner. In contrast, the type of the actin architecture in EIEC group showed disorganized and disrupted. The incubation of Caco-2 monolayers infected with EIEC resulted

in a centripetal retraction of the peri-junctional actin filaments Inositol oxygenase with separation of actins from the apical cellular borders. The EIEC-induced alteration of peri-junctional actin filaments was reversed by the re-introduction of L. plantarum (Fig. 6.). Figure 6 L. plantarum prevents EIEC-induced rearrangements of the epithelial cell cytoskeleton elements F-actin. The intensity of the stain of the infected cells was decreased compared to that observed for control cells. In addition, the belts were disrupted were present (arrows). Original magnification ×2400. Discussion Although many clinical studies have reported that probiotics, such as L. plantarum, have beneficial health effects [12–15], it is still difficult to ascertain their direct mechanism(s) of action. Therefore, the current trend in research in this field is to determine the mechanisms by probiotic are efficacious in treating specific gut abnormalities or protect against defined microbial infections [16].