Probiotic Consortium Confers Synergistic Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Inflammatory Disorders.

The composition and diversity of gut microbiota significantly influence the immune system and are linked to various diseases, including inflammatory and allergy disorders. While considerable research has focused on exploring single bacterial species or consortia, the optimal strategies for microbiota-based therapeutics remain underexplored. Specifically, the comparative effectiveness of bacterial consortia versus individual species warrants further investigation. In our study, we assessed the impact of the bacterial consortium MPRO, comprising Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HY7712, Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis HY8002, and Lacticaseibacillus casei HY2782, in comparison to its individual components. The administration of MPRO demonstrated enhanced therapeutic efficacy in experimental models of atopic dermatitis and inflammatory colitis when compared to single strains. MPRO exhibited the ability to dampen inflammatory responses and alter the gut microbial landscape significantly. Notably, MPRO administration led to an increase in intestinal CD103+CD11b+ dendritic cells, promoting the induction of regulatory T cells and the robust suppression of inflammation in experimental disease settings. Our findings advocate the preference for bacterial consortia over single strains in the treatment of inflammatory disorders, carrying potential clinical relevance.

Production of probiotic fermented salami using Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium lactis.

The objectives of the study were to improve the functionality of fermented salami using probiotics, to evaluate the effects of the addition of probiotics on the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics and sensory acceptance of fermented salami, and to introduce a brand-new probiotic food to the market for meat products. Fermented salami samples were produced using various formulations, including no probiotic (A), non-probiotic starter cultures (B) or probiotic cultures [Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR32 200B (C), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP115 400B (D), Bifidobacterium lactis BB12 (E), and L. rhamnosus LR32 200B + L. plantarum LP115 400B (F)]. The samples were kept at 4°C for 60 days, and their probiotic viability as well as their chemical, physical, microbiological, and sensory qualities were assessed at intervals of 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 days. The probiotic addition enhanced the safety and quality of the product while favorably affecting the microbiological, physical, chemical, and sensory properties of the samples. The sample produced with mixed probiotics (F) had the highest moisture and fat content and the lowest pH. Lactic acid bacteria counts were found above 6.0 log CFU/g in the samples produced with probiotic at the end of the storage. Probiotic added products were rated higher than products without probiotics in terms of color, texture, flavor, and overall acceptance during storage. Consequently, a probiotic fermented salami with high probiotic cell counts and meeting the sensory preferences of the consumers was produced.

Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis A6 attenuates hippocampal damage and memory impairments in an ADHD rat model.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly accompanied by learning and memory deficits. This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis A6 (BAA6) on behaviour and memory function in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The results showed that BAA6 treatment ameliorated spatial working memory deficits and inhibited hippocampal neuron loss in SHRs. The levels of neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, dopamine, and norepinephrine, and the brain derived neurotrophic factor increased and that of glutamate decreased in the brain tissue of SHRs after BAA6 administration. Moreover, BAA6 reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1ß, and increased the levels of anti-inflammatory IL-10 and antioxidant glutathione in SHRs. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing showed that BAA6 treatment changed the gut microbiota composition. BAA6 promoted beneficial Lactobacillus, Romboutsia, Blautia, and Turicibacter, and decreased the enrichment of bacterial genera such as Dietzia, Sporosarcina, Brevibacterium, NK4A214_group, Atopostipes, and Facklamia negatively associated with neurotransmitter release and anti-inflammatory effects in SHRs. Together, these results suggested that BAA6 improved memory function by ameliorating hippocampal damage, abnormal neurotransmitter release and cerebral inflammation by reshaping the gut microbiota in SHRs. This study provides a scientific basis for the development and application of BAA6 as a promising dietary intervention to reduce the risk of ADHD.

Fermented Yak-Kong using Bifidobacterium animalis derived from Korean infant intestine effectively relieves muscle atrophy in an aging mouse model.

Yak-Kong (YK) is a small black soybean widely cultivated in Korea. It is considered to have excellent health functionality, as it has been reported to have better antioxidant efficacy than conventional black or yellow soybeans. Since YK has been described as good for the muscle health of the elderly in old oriental medicine books, this study sought to investigate the effect of fermented YK with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis LDTM 8102 (FYK) on muscle atrophy. In C2C12 mouse myoblasts, FYK elevated the expression of MyoD, total MHC, phosphorylated AKT, and PGC1α. In addition, two kinds of in vivo studies were conducted using both an induced and normal aging mouse model. The behavioral test results showed that in the induced aging mouse model, FYK intake alleviated age-related muscle weakness and loss of exercise performance. In addition, FYK alleviated muscle mass decrease and improved the expression of biomarkers including total MHC, myf6, phosphorylated AKT, PGC1α, and Tfam, which are related to myoblast differentiation, muscle protein synthesis, and mitochondrial generation in the muscle. In the normal aging model, FYK consumption did not increase muscle mass, but did upregulate the expression levels of biomarkers related to myoblast differentiation, muscle hypertrophy, and muscle function. Furthermore, it mitigated age-related declines in skeletal muscle force production and functional limitation by enhancing exercise performance and grip strength. Taken together, the results suggest that FYK has the potential to be a new functional food material that can alleviate the loss of muscle mass and strength caused by aging and prevent sarcopenia.

Screening of probiotic strains to improve visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome by using in vitro and in vivo approaches.

Oral administration of probiotics has been proposed as a promising biotherapy to prevent and treat different diseases related to gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Due to the increasing research area on the characterisation of new probiotic bacterial strains, it is necessary to perform suitable in vitro experiments, using pertinent cellular models, in order to establish appropriate readout profiles based on IBS symptoms and subtypes. In this work, a collection of 30 candidate strains, belonging mainly to the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera, were screened using three different sets of in vitro experiments with different readouts to identify promising probiotic strains with: (1) the ability to inhibit the synthesis of IL-8 production by TNF-α stimulated HT-29 cells, (2) immunomodulatory properties quantified as increased IL-10 levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs), and (3) the ability to maintain epithelial barrier integrity by increasing the trans-epithelial/endothelial electrical resistance (TEER) values in Caco-2 cells. Based on these criteria, three strains were selected: Lactobacillus gasseri PI41, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus PI48 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis PI50, and tested in a murine model of low-grade inflammation induced by dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS), which mimics some of the symptoms of IBS. Among the three strains, L. gasseri PI41 improved overall host well-being by preventing body weight loss in DNBS-treated mice and restored gut homeostasis by normalising the intestinal permeability and reducing pro-inflammatory markers. Therefore, the potential of this strain was confirmed in a second murine model known to reproduce IBS symptoms: the neonatal maternal separation (NMS) model. The PI41 strain was effective in preventing intestinal permeability and reducing colonic hypersensitivity. In conclusion, the set of in vitro experiments combined with in vivo assessments allowed us to identify a promising probiotic candidate strain, L. gasseri PI41, in the context of IBS.

Research Note: Water applied direct-fed microbial reduced mortality in heat stressed broilers.

Pressure to reduce the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry has intensified research on alternative solutions to support intestinal health, including but not limited to direct fed microbials (DFM). Heat stress is known to impact intestinal health and function. The aim of this study was to determine efficacy of a water applied DFM product on broiler performance during the summer period. One of two treatments were randomly allocated to 12 replicate floor pens each: a control treatment and a treatment provided daily with a dual strain DFM comprised of Lactobacillus acidophilus AG01 and Bifidobacterium animalis AG02 at 1 × 108 CFU/bird/d. Each pen contained 20 Ross 308 broilers. All birds were fed the same three-phased wheat- and soybean meal-based diets. Body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality were measured at d 0, 10, 24, 35, and 42. Due to natural extreme external temperature conditions, all birds were subject to heat stress during the end of the grower phase up to and including the finisher phase. Temperature was on average 5°C higher compared to industry recommendation. No significant differences were found in growth performance between the control and DFM treatment, yet BW at d 42 in both treatments was reduced by 19% compared to the breed standard. The DFM treatment significantly reduced mortality among the birds. Overall mortality from d 1 to d 35 was reduced from 4.58% to 0.42% (P = 0.023) and overall mortality from d 1 to d 42 was reduced from 5.83 to 0.83% (P = 0.027). This was driven by the difference in heat-stress related mortality in the finisher phase from d 25 to d 42, where mortality reached only 0.44% in the DFM treatment versus 2.88% in the unsupplemented control treatment. Post-mortem analysis confirmed heat-stress related hypoxia. In conclusion, the dual strain DFM may have provided improved (intestinal) homeostasis and barrier function allowing increased resilience to heat stress in broilers.

Exploring the potential of red pitaya pulp (Hylocererus sp.) as a plant-based matrix for probiotic delivery and effects on betacyanin content and flavoromics.

This study evaluated the potential of red pitaya pulp fermented with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei F-19 (F-19) as a base for probiotic products. Physicochemical parameters, sugar, betacyanin, and phenolic contents, and antioxidant activity were analyzed over 28 days at 4 °C and compared to a non-fermented pulp, and to a pulp fermented with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 (BB-12). Volatile compounds were identified using HS-SPME/GC-MS. Probiotic viability during storage and survival through in vitro-simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) stress were assessed. Red pitaya pulp, rich in moisture (85.83 g/100 g), carbohydrates (11.65 g/100 g), and fibers (2.49 g/100 g), supported fermentation by both strains. F-19 and BB-12 lowered pH, with F-19 showing stronger acidification, and maintained high viability (8.85-8.90 log CFU/mL). Fermentation altered sugar profiles and produced unique volatile compounds, enhancing aroma and sensory attributes. F-19 generated 2-phenylethanol, a unique flavor compound, absent in BB-12. Phenolic content initially increased but antioxidant activity decreased during storage. Betacyanin remained stable for up to 14 days. Red pitaya improved F-19 viability through the simulated GIT, while BB-12 populations significantly decreased (p < 0.05). These results suggest red pitaya pulp is a promising plant-based matrix for F-19, offering protection during digestion and highlighting its potential as a functional food with enhanced bioactive compound bioavailability and sensory attributes.

Adjunctive efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11 for functional constipation in children.

Functional constipation (FC) can seriously affect the physical and mental health of children. The goal of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11 in treating FC in children through a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled approach. Eligible children were randomized into either the intervention group (IG, n = 65, receiving conventional treatment with probiotics) or the control group (CG, n = 66, receiving conventional treatment without probiotics). The primary outcome measure was fecal frequency. Fecal gut microbiota analysis and PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) were used to predict gene family abundances based on 16S information. Over the course of treatment, the weekly frequency of feces within each group increased significantly (F = 41.97, p < 0.001). The frequency of feces (times/week (t/w)) in the IG was significantly higher than that in the CG (3.69 ± 2.62 t/w vs.3.18 ± 1.43 t/w, 4.03 ± 2.54 t/w vs. 2.89 ± 1.39 t/w and 3.74 ± 2.36 t/w vs. 2.94 ± 1.18 t/w and 3.45 ± 1.98 vs. 3.17 ± 1.41 t/w for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th week after intervention, respectively) (F = 7.60, p = 0.0067). After the intervention, dominate species shifted to Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve, and Escherichia coli in the IG. Additionally, genes related to short-chain fatty acid (SCF) metabolism were upregulated, while methane metabolism was downregulated. Administration of XLTG11 at a dose of 1 × 1010 CFU/day to children increased fecal frequency, induced beneficial changes in gut microbiota, and regulated SCFs and methane metabolism-related genes.