7 LACTOBACILLUS REUTERI SUPPRESSES PRO-INFLAMMATORY DRIVEN REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES IN VITRO IN HUMAN INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL CELLS AND IN VIVO IN A TNBS COLITIS MOUSE MODEL

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role in maintaining intestinal epithelial homeostasis and are normally kept at low levels via antioxidant compounds. Dysregulation of ROS can lead to intestinal inflammation and contribute to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Select gut microbes possess the enzymatic machinery to produce antioxidants whereas others can dysregulate levels of ROS. Our model microbe, Lactobacillus reuteri (ATCC PTA 6475), has been demonstrated to reduce intestinal inflammation in mice models.