Recombinant probiotic bacteria for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (ibd) and irritable bowel syndrome (ibs)

Abstract

The present invention relates to the general field of therapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and/or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Thus, the invention relates to a molecule selected from the trappin-2 protein or an active fraction thereof, a member of the WAP family proteins or an active fraction thereof or a member of the Serpin family proteins or an active fraction thereof for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The invention also relates to a recombinant food-grade bacterium comprising a gene selected from a gene coding for the trappin-2 protein or an active fraction thereof, a gene coding for a member of the WAP family proteins or an active fraction thereof, or a gene coding for a member of the Serpin family proteins or an active fraction thereof.

1 . A molecule selected from the trappin-2 protein or an active fraction of the trappin-2 protein, a member of the WAP Serpin family proteins or an active fraction of a member of the WAP family proteins or a member of the Serpin family or an active fraction of a member of the Serpin family for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). 
     
     
         2 . A molecule according to the  claim 1  expressed by a genetically engineered host cell. 
     
     
         3 . A recombinant food-grade bacterium comprising a recombinant gene selected from a gene coding for the trappin-2 protein or an active fraction of the trappin-2 protein, a gene coding for a member of the WAP family proteins or an active fraction of a member of the WAP family proteins or a gene coding for a member of the Serpin family proteins or an active fraction of a member of the Serpin family proteins. 
     
     
         4 . A bacterium according to  claim 3  wherein the food-grade bacterium is a probiotic bacterium. 
     
     
         5 . A bacterium according to  claim 3  wherein the bacterium comprises a defective auxotrophic gene, whereby survival of said bacterium depends upon the presence of specific compounds. 
     
     
         6 . A bacterium according to  claim 5  wherein the defective auxotrophic gene is selected from the thyA gene or the alr gene. 
     
     
         7 . A bacterium according to  claim 5  wherein the selected gene is inserted in place of the defective auxotrophic gene. 
     
     
         8 . A bacterium according to  claim 7  wherein the gene coding for the WAP or Serpin family protein encodes the trappin-2 protein or the alpha 1-antitrypsin protein. 
     
     
         9 . A bacterium according to  claim 3  selected from Lactic Acid Bacterium,  Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus  or  Lactobacillus.    
     
     
         10 . A bacterium according to  claim 9  selected from  Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus lactis  htrA,  Lactobacillus caseis, Lactobacillus plantarum , and  Bifidobacterium longum.    
     
     
         11 . A method for treating an inflammatory condition comprising administering the bacterium of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the inflammatory condition is selected from Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, inflammatory pulmonary disease, inflammatory articular disease or inflammatory urogenital disease. 
     
     
         13 . A therapeutic composition comprising a bacterium according to  claim 3 . 
     
     
         14 . A method for treating an inflammatory condition comprising administering the composition of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the inflammatory condition is selected from Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, inflammatory pulmonary disease, inflammatory articular disease or inflammatory urogenital disease.