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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2007, p. 508-515, Vol. 73, No. 2
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01299-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

In Silico Model as a Tool for Interpretation of Intestinal Infection Studies{triangledown}

Peter de Jong,1* Marc M. M. Vissers,2 Roelof van der Meer,2,3 and Ingeborg M. J. Bovee-Oudenhoven2,3

Department of Processing,1 Department of Health and Safety, NIZO food research, Ede, The Netherlands,2 Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences, Wageningen, The Netherlands3

Received 7 June 2006/ Accepted 12 November 2006

In nutrition research the number of human in vivo experiments is limited because of the many restrictions and the high costs of testing in humans. Up to now predictive computer models aiming to enhance research have been rare or too complex, with many nonmeasurable adjustable parameters. This study aimed to develop a basic physicochemical computer model for a first quantitative interpretation of results obtained from in vivo intestinal experiments with bacteria. This new modeling approach is validated with results obtained from gut infection studies in vivo. The design of the model is described, and its ability to reproduce experimental data is evaluated. The model predictions are compared with new experimental data. The phenomena that take place in the gastrointestinal tract are summarized by model constants for growth, adherence, and release of bacteria. Although the model is far from describing all details and many processes in the intestine are combined, the model calculation results lead to reasonable conclusions and interesting hypotheses. One of these hypotheses concluded from the model outcomes is that Escherichia coli bacteria have a much lower intestinal growth rate in humans than in rats. Extra laboratory validation experiments proved the reliability of this hypothesis predicted by the model. In addition, the known protective effect of dietary calcium and detrimental effect of clindamycin on the growth and adherence of Salmonella bacteria could be quantified. From these results it is clear that the model enhances the interpretation of in vivo gastrointestinal experiments and will facilitate research trajectories towards new functional foods that improve resistance to pathogenic bacteria in humans.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: NIZO food research, P.O. Box 20, 6710 BA Ede, The Netherlands. Phone: 31 318 65 95 11. Fax: 31 318 65 04 00. E-mail: peter.de.jong{at}nizo.nl.

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 22 November 2006.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2007, p. 508-515, Vol. 73, No. 2
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01299-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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