Polymyxin B treatment (which targets Gram-negative bacteria) showed no significant effect. Blood pressure levels for both antibiotic treatments were not significantly different from no antibiotic treatment.
Surprisingly, vancomycin treatment led to a massive increase of Lactobacilli, which are considered “good” Gram-positive bacteria. When the researchers examined immune cells isolated from the hypertensive rats’ hearts, kidneys, blood, spleen, and intestines, they observed many pro-inflammatory immune cell types. Vancomycin treatment reduced inflammation in the kidney. Polymyxin B treatment did not alter any inflammatory states.
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“In the future, we would like to achieve such effects without antibiotics. We also aim to further understand and harness the underlying mechanisms for the kidney protective effects we observed,” said corresponding author Moritz Immanuel Wimmer of Charit – Universittsmedizin Berlin.
Source: Eurekalert
