Impact of a Human Origin Heat Inactivated Probiotic-Lactobacillus Paracasei D3.5 (LpD3.5) as Dietary Supplement on Gut Mucin and Intestinal Permeability in Adults With IBD

This study aims to study a biological phenomenon of reduced mucin barriers that are linked with increased intestinal permeabil-ity in the gut of individuals with IBD and determine whether and how a human originated, and heat inactivated probiotic LpD3.5 impact these biological mechanisms. We plan a cross-over ran-domized placebo-controlled pilot study of n=15 individuals with IBD, who will be consented with a goal for 10 participants ran-domized in placebo (n=5) and LpD3.5 (n=5) arms to complete the study and will be given two corresponding dietary supple-ment grade capsules per day of placebo or LpD3.5 (167 mg/ capsule), respectively, for 60 days. We will have a 60-day washout period, after which participants will be cross-over in opposite arms and further intervention will be monitored at 30 and 60 days. Stool and blood samples will be collected at base-line (before intervention), and after 30, and 60 days of the start of the intervention. After a 60-day washout interval, the sample collection will be performed in a crossover fashion in opposite arms. We will analyze the levels of post-intervention fecal mucin (marker of gut barriers) between LpD3.5 and placebo groups as primary outcomes. Microbiome indices and phylogenetic abun-dances, and markers of elevated gut permeability (LBP and sCD14) will be as secondary outcomes. Our exploratory out-comes will include inflammation (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in blood, and calprotectin in feces), dose and frequency of medica-tions, and QOL questionnaires.