Evaluation of the Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Epithelial Damage in Colitis Disease: A Systematic Review.

Context: Previous reviews have focused on the effects of probiotics on colitis, but there is a need to understand their impact on barrier integrity and tight junction protein improvement in colitis.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically examine the effects of probiotic use on barrier integrity in colitis disease. This study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Data sources: A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane databases identified 2537 articles.

Data extraction: As a result of the search, 2537 articles were accessed. Study results were summarized descriptively through discussions by intervention conditions, study population, measurement methods, and key findings. The included studies were independently reviewed and all authors reached consensus on the quality and major findings from the included articles. Forty-six studies that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed within the scope of the systematic review.

Results: Although the study primarily utilized probiotics from the Lactobacillaceae family (notably, L casei, L reuteri, L rhamnosus, L plantarum, and L pentosus) and the Bifidobacteriaceae family (notably, B breve, B animalis, and B dentium), other probiotics also demonstrated positive effects on tight junction proteins. These effects are attributed to the production of bioactive and metabolic compounds, as well as short-chain fatty acids, which combat pathogens and reduce anti-inflammatory agents. However, it was observed that the effects of these probiotics on tight junction proteins varied depending on the strain and dose.

Conclusion: The beneficial effects of probiotics on remission in inflammatory bowel disease are well documented. Studies show that probiotics generally improve intestinal barrier function, but factors such as dose, duration, and bacterial species combinations need further clarification. Additionally, comprehensive studies are needed to understand how improved barrier function affects absorption in individuals.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023452774.