# Mechanistic role of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri in autoimmune lupus

> **NIH NIH R01** · VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV · 2020 · $337,861

## Abstract

Project Summary
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with no known cure. We observed
changes of gut microbiota in SLE, including a marked decrease of Lactobacillus spp., in both human and
mouse. Our preliminary results showed that increasing Lactobacillus spp. in the gut is beneficial and
attenuates SLE-like disease in mice. The goal of this proposal is to mechanistically define the role of a
probiotic species, Lactobacillus reuteri (LR), that protects against SLE. Based on extensive preliminary
observations, we hypothesize that LR attenuates lupus by strengthening the gut mucosal barrier and
modulating the Th17-Treg response. In the proposed studies, we plan to achieve two specific aims to test this
hypothesis. Aim 1 is focused on the impact of Lactobacillus spp. on the gut microenvironment in lupus mice.
The hypothesis of this aim is that the probiotic bacteria strengthen the gut mucosal barrier by modulating the
expression of tight junction proteins. Aim 2 is focused on the mechanism at the systemic level by which
Lactobacillus spp. attenuate SLE. The hypothesis of this aim is that the probiotic bacteria attenuates SLE-like
disease by increasing systemic TGFb and inducing renal Treg cells. The results of the proposed studies, upon
translation to human disease, will identify the key events initiating the cascade that leads to human SLE, and
enable development of new therapeutic targets necessary to generate treatments for the disease. Diet and
probiotics/prebiotics, known to modify the gut microbiota, have the potential to become cost-effective
components of SLE management strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9851348
- **Project number:** 5R01AR073240-03
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Xin Luo
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $337,861
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-03-05 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9851348

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9851348, Mechanistic role of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri in autoimmune lupus (5R01AR073240-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9851348. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*