Keele Research Repository

The human body hosts a vast number of microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea, and viruses that are colonised inside and outside the body. This combination of microorganisms living within the human body is known as microbiota. The human microbiota varies depending on the anatomical site such as the skin, the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, and the genitourinary tract. Microbiota’s composition and function can also vary according to the age, sex, race, and diet of its host.

This research focuses on the microbiota present in the gastrointestinal tract and how it can affect the absorption of molecules. By using two types of epithelial cell lines, Caco-2 and HT29-MTX and a bacterial strain, lactobacillus bacteria. To upgrade the existing Caco-2 model.

The cells were cultured in specialised plates until differentiation. Erythromycin, vitamin D3, and linoleic acid were used as test compounds. TEER and Lucifer yellow were used to monitor the integrity and formation of the monolayer. Absorption of the three molecules were studied by mass spectrometry.

The results indicated that the combination of cells and bacteria produced similar results to the ADMETox model currently in use the pharmaceutical industry.