Lactobacillus plantarum prevents and mitigates alcohol-induced disruption of colonic epithelial tight junctions, endotoxemia, and liver damage by an EGF receptor–dependent mechanism

What is it about?

One in eight adult Americans have alcohol use disorder and more than 10 million are estimated to suffer from alcoholic hepatitis. There is no targeted therapy to treat alcoholic diseases available at this time. In this study using a mouse model of chronic alcohol use we show that feeding a specific probiotic not only prevents alcohol-induced gut barrier dysfunction, endotoxemia and liver damage, but also accelerates the healing of alcoholic gut and liver injury. This beneficial activity of probiotic is mediated by epidermal growth factor receptor.

Featured Image