Sour beer production in India using a coculture of Saccharomyces pastorianus and Lactobacillus plantarum: optimization, microbiological, and biochemical profiling

The study's objective was to develop a co-fermentation process with appropriate fermentation parameters to produce a sour beer (similar to a Belgium sour beer) with an ethanol content of 6-8% (v/v) using a coculture of Saccharomyces pastorianus and Lactobacillus plantarum. Statistical optimization was conducted to determine fermentation conditions to produce a sour beer with ~ 3 mg/mL of lactic acid, similar to the traditional sour beer levels. Studies were conducted on the microbial dynamics and volatile compounds produced during this fermentation and aging process. GC-MS studies revealed the generation of novel bioactive compounds as well as the depletion of some volatile compounds during co-fermentation. The study detailed a 5-day co-fermentation process of S. pastorianus and L. plantarum and a 21-day aging process to prepare a sour beer with biochemical properties along the lines of traditional lambic beers. The interrelationship between the two microorganisms and the biochemical changes in the sour beer fermentation process was elucidated and the sensorial attributes have been described.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCFM1019 attenuate polycystic ovary syndrome through butyrate dependent gut-brain mechanism

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age. The gut microbiota has been shown to play a vital role in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Agents that target microbes in the gut may be promising therapeutic strategies for PCOS. Herein, a letrozole-induced PCOS model was used to test five Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains for their ability to alleviate PCOS symptoms and their effect on the gut-brain axis. Lp. plantarum CCFM1019 attenuated the pathological changes in the ovaries and restored testosterone and luteinising hormone levels. However, metabolic disorders induced by letrozole treatment were not significantly reversed by these strains. Meanwhile, alteration of gut microbial diversity and enrichment of the short-chain fatty acid producers Lachnospira and Ruminococcus_2 were observed after Lp. plantarum CCFM1019 intervention. Compared with letrozole-treated rats, those treated with Lp. plantarum CCFM1019 exhibited higher butyrate and polypeptide YY levels, possibly due to the regulation of G protein-coupled receptor 41 expression. These results demonstrated that Lp. plantarum CCFM1019 attenuated letrozole-induced PCOS symptoms in rats. A butyrate-dependent gut-brain mechanism may be involved in this protective effect.

Lactobacillus plantarum DP189 Reduces α-SYN Aggravation in MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Disease Mice via Regulating Oxidative Damage, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota Disorder

This study aimed to evaluate the attenuating effect of Lactobacillus plantarum DP189 on α-synuclein (α-SYN) aggregates in the substantia nigra (SN) of Parkinson's disease (PD) mice via 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced. Our results indicated that L. plantarum DP189 increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxide (GSH-Px), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) and decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Moreover, L. plantarum DP189 reduced the α-SYN accumulation in SN. Mechanistically, L. plantarum DP189 activated the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)/ARE and PGC-1α pathways and suppressed the NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, fecal analysis showed that L. plantarum DP189 reshaped the gut microbiota in PD mice by reducing the number of pathogenic bacteria (Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria) and increased the abundance of probiotics (Lactobacillus and Prevotella). Our results suggested that L. plantarum DP189 could delay the neurodegeneration caused by the accumulation of α-SYN in the SN of PD mice via suppressing oxidative stress, repressing proinflammatory response, and modulating gut microbiota.

Effects of novel microecologics combined with traditional Chinese medicine and probiotics on growth performance and health of broilers

In this study, we prepared a kind of novel microecologics, namely Chinese medicine-probiotic compound microecological preparation (CPCMP), which is composed of 5 traditional Chinese medicine herbs (Galla Chinensis, Andrographis paniculata, Arctii Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix, and Schizonepeta tenuifolia) fermented by Aspergillus niger and a kind of compound probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum A37 and L. plantarum MIII). The effects of the CPCMP in broilers on growth performance, serum parameters, immune function, and intestinal health were investigated. A total of 450 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into 6 treatment groups with 5 replicates, 15 birds per replicate. Treatments consisted of: blank control, CPCMP, positive control, commercial CPCMP, traditional Chinese medicine, and probiotics groups, which were birds fed with basal diet supplemented with no extra additives, 0.2% CPCMP, 0.0035% chlortetracycline, 0.2% commercially available CPCMP, 0.2% fermented traditional Chinese medicines, and 0.2% compound probiotics, respectively. CPCMP obviously increased the average body weight and average daily gain (P < 0.05, compared with any other group) and decreased the feed:gain ratio of broilers (P < 0.05, compared with the blank control, commercial CPCMP, traditional Chinese medicine, or probiotics group). Moreover, it significantly increased glutathione peroxidase and secretory immunoglobulin A levels and spleen/bursa indices (P < 0.05 for all, compared with the blank control, commercial CPCMP, traditional Chinese medicine, or probiotics group). Villus heights in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were also elevated by CPCMP treatment (P < 0.05, compared with any other group). Furthermore, CPCMP substantially increased jejunal mRNA levels of occludin and zonula occludens-1 (P < 0.05, compared with the blank control, positive control, or probiotics group) and facilitated the growth and colonization of beneficial cecal bacteria, such as Olsenella, Barnesiella, and Lactobacillus. Overall results show that the CPCMP prepared in our work contributes to improving growth performance, serum parameters, immune function, and intestinal health of broilers and exerts synergistic effects of traditional Chinese medicines and probiotics to some extent. Our findings suggest that CPCMP is a promising antibiotic substitute in the livestock and poultry industry in the future.

Nondenaturing Solubilization of Inclusion Bodies from Lactic Acid Bacteria

Since inclusion bodies (IBs) contain an important amount of properly folded and active proteins, their solubilization using nondenaturing conditions to obtain aggregation-prone proteins has gained interest. Through these conditions, the refolding step is no longer required, which avoids the usual protein yield loss after this process. Here, we reveal a simple methodology to obtain pure and active difficult-to-produce proteins using two LPS-free expression systems: Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus plantarum. This protocol has proven to be successful to obtain proteins which are labile and prone-to-attach (difficult to be purified from other cytoplasmic proteins) and prone-to-aggregate (difficult to be obtained in their soluble form).

A synbiotic containing prebiotic prepared from a by-product of king oyster mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii and probiotic, Lactobacillus plantarum incorporated in diet to improve the growth performance and health status of white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a synbiotic composite an extract from a by-product of king oyster mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii (KOME), and probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 7-40 on the growth performance and health status of white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. The KOME was able to stimulate the growth of probiotic, but not the growth of Vibrio pathogens, including V. alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. harveyi. Four diets were formulated, including a control diet supplemented without prebiotic and probiotic, a basal diet supplemented with KOME (5 g kg^-1) (ME), a basal diet supplemented with probiotic (1 × 10⁸ CFU kg^-1) (LP), and a basal diet supplemented with KOME (5 g kg^-1) and probiotic (1 × 10⁸ CFU kg^-1) (SYN). Shrimp fed the ME, LP, and SYN diets had significantly higher survival than that of shrimp fed with the control diet for 8 weeks. Shrimp in the SYN group also had a significantly higher weight gain and total final weight in comparison with the control and other treatments. In the intestinal tract, lactic acid bacteria count was significantly higher in the SYN group, whereas the Vibrio-like bacteria count was significantly higher in the ME group than in the control group. For the health status assessment, the disease resistance of shrimp against V. alginolyticus was improved in all treatments compared to the shrimp in control. Shrimps in the SYN group had significantly lower cumulative mortality due to the significant increase in immune responses, including phenoloxidase, respiratory burst, and lysozyme activity, and the gene expression of pexn and pen4 in the haemocytes, and lgbp, sp, propoii, pexn, pen3a, pen4, and gpx in the haepatopancreas of shrimp as compared to the control. Therefore, it is suggested that a combination of KOME and probiotics can be used as a synbiotic to improve the growth performance and reduce the risk of infectious diseases caused by Vibrio and at the same time significantly contribute to the circular economy.

Exopolysaccharide produced by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RO30 isolated from Romi cheese: characterization, antioxidant and burn healing activity

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) extracted from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are generally recognized as safe. They have earned popularity in recent years because of their exceptional biological features. Therefore, the present study main focus was to study EPS-production from probiotic LAB and to investigate their antioxidant and burn wound healing efficacy. Seventeen LAB were isolated from different food samples. All of them showed EPS-producing abilities ranging from 1.75 ± 0.05 to 4.32 ± 0.12 g/l. RO30 isolate (from Romi cheese) was chosen, due to its ability to produce the highest EPS yield (4.23 ± 0.12 g/l). The 16S rDNA sequencing showed it belonged to the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum group and was further identified as L. plantarum RO30 with accession number OL757866. It displayed well in vitro probiotic properties. REPS was extracted and characterized. The existence of COO⁻, OH and amide groups corresponding to typical EPSs was confirmed via FTIR. It was constituted of glucuronic acid, mannose, glucose, and arabinose in a molar ratio of 2.2:0.1:0.5:0.1, respectively. The average molecular weight was 4.96 × 10⁴ g/mol. In vitro antioxidant assays showed that the REPS possesses a DPPH radical scavenging ability of 43.60% at 5 mg/ml, reducing power of 1.108 at 10 mg/ml, and iron chelation activity of 72.49% and 89.78% at 5 mg/ml and 10 mg/ml, respectively. The healing efficacy of REPS on burn wound models in albino Wistar rats showed that REPS at 0.5% (w/w) concentration stimulated the process of healing in burn areas. The results suggested that REPS might be useful as a burn wound healing agent.

Therapeutic potential of probiotics - Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP40 and Bacillus clausii UBBC07 on thioacetamide-induced acute hepatic encephalopathy in rats

PURPOSE

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) or hepatic coma is a demanding, not utterly understood complication of acute and chronic liver dysfunction and portosystemic shunting. In HE, hyperammonemia and inflammatory responses are believed to act in synergism. Probiotics, Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP40 and Bacillus clausii UBBC07 reduce small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and hyperammonemia, thereby preventing HE development.

METHODS

The effect of probiotics-Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP40 (10⁷ CFU/day, 14 days) and Bacillus clausii UBBC07 (10⁷ CFU/day, 14 days) combination and standard drug-lactulose (2.5 ml/kg in 3 divided doses, 14 days) was studied in thioacetamide (250 mg/kg for three days) induced acute HE in rats by measuring behavioural parameters, biochemical parameters (serum AST, ALT, ALP and ammonia level), neurochemical parameters and histopathology study in brain and liver.

RESULTS

In contrast to only thioacetamide treated rats, probiotics treatment substantially (p < 0.001) reduced liver function parameters, i.e. serum AST, ALT, ALP, and ammonia, improved behaviour parameters, i.e. decreased motor disruption, improved memory impairment. Probiotics treated rats have also shown a substantial improvement in oxidative stress parameters i.e. reduced lipid peroxidation and increased glutathione level in brain tissue and ameliorated the histopathological changes induced by thioacetamide in the brain and liver.

CONCLUSIONS

It can be concluded based on the findings that the combination therapy of Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP40 and Bacillus clausiiUBBC07 proves to be effective in acute hepatic encephalopathy in the preclinical stage, and further studies are required to assess this therapy potential in the clinical setting.

Surviving of production probiotic strains in a selected application form

Research in probiotics for aquaculture is at an early stage of development and much work is still needed. Lactiplantibacilli belong to the microorganisms most frequently used to prepare the probiotics. The available information is inconclusive, since few experiments with sufficiently robust design have been conducted to permit critical evaluation. The development of probiotics applicable to commercial use in aquaculture is a multistep and multidisciplinary process requiring both empirical and fundamental research, full-scale trials, and an economic assessment of its use. The aim of the study was to prepare a probiotic aquafeed via excipients and subsequently to observe the survival of probiotic bacterial cells in the feed during the nine months storage period at a refrigerator (4 °C) or room temperature (22 °C). The strain Lactobacillus plantarum R2 Biocenol (CCM 8674) (according to the new taxonomy Lactiplantibacillus plantarum), potentially usable as a probiotic in aquaculture, was administered to prepare the aquafeed. Better survival of probiotic bacterial cells was recorded in a samples of pellets A (Aquatex 41 HMD) compared to the samples of probiotic pellets B (Inicio 918-2). Since oxidation of fatty acids in feed affects the nutritional quality of individual feed components, we assume that higher amounts of oil in feed B negatively affected the survival of probiotic bacterial cells. The highest numbers of viable probiotic bacteria cells were recorded at 4 °C storage of probiotic feed samples. The number of lactiplantibacilli dropped from 7.30 log10CFU . g-1 to 5.57 log10CFU . g-1 after the nine months storage period of feed samples A at 4 °C. Temperature is considered as a critical factor influencing probiotic viability and survival during storage period.

Protective Effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 1201 Combined with Galactooligosaccharide on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

Acute liver injury (ALI) has a high mortality rate of approximately 20–40%, and it is imperative to find complementary and alternative drugs for treating ALI. A carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced ALI mouse model was established to explore whether dietary intervention can alleviate ALI in mice. Intestinal flora, intestinal integrity, biomarkers of hepatic function, systemic inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis signals were detected through a real-time PCR, hematoxylin-eosin staining, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and so on. The results showed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 1201 had a strongly antioxidant ability, and galactooligosaccharide (GOS) could boost its growth. Based on these findings, the combination of L. plantarum 1201 and GOS, the synbiotic, was applied to prevent CCl₄-induced ALI in mice. The current research proved that GOS promoted the intestinal colonization of L. plantarum 1201, and the synbiotic improved the antioxidant capacity of the host, regulated the intestinal flora, repaired the intestinal barrier, inhibited the activation of the MAPK/NF-κB pathway, and then inhibited the apoptosis and autophagy pathways, relieving inflammation and liver oxidation; thereby, the ALI of mice was alleviated. These results suggest that synbiotics may become a new research direction for liver-protecting drugs.

The interaction between Lactobacillus plantarum SC-5 and its biogenic amine formation with different salt concentrations in Chinese Dongbei Suancai

Dongbei Suancai (DBSC) - a Chinese cabbage-based sauerkraut is a traditional fermented food which is popular in Asian countries. The biogenic amines that are usually generated during spontaneous fermentation have raised public health concern, while inoculation technology may solve this problem. In the current research, the biogenic amines, as well as their interactions with the microbial community in DBSC inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum SC-5 or spontaneously fermented without inoculation were systematically investigated throughout 60 d fermentation. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the predominant biogenic amines in DBSC including putrescine, tyramine, spermidine, cadaverine and histamine increased during fermentation. Inoculated DBSC had a significantly lower content of total biogenic amines than the spontaneously fermented DBSC (216.72-237.33 mg/kg vs. 234.62-266.81 mg/kg) during 60 days' fermentation (P < 0.05). High throughput sequencing based on 16S rDNA identified 70 species in the bacterial community belonging to 7 genera of lactic acid bacteria, of which Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Lactococcus were dominant. Furthermore, six common genera of bacteria were positively correlated with biogenic amines based on Spearman's rank correlation test. Notably, the abundance of Lactobacillus plantarum SC-5 was negatively correlated with the content of biogenic amines in DBSC. In conclusion, inoculation of the proper starter like Lactobacillus plantarum SC-5 can reduce total biogenic amines in DBSC possibly by modifying the microbial communities in the fermented sauerkraut, which provides practical guidance for industrial production of high quality DBSC.

Effect of probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and chestnut flour (Castanea sativa mill) on microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of dry-cured sausages during storage

The effect of chestnut flour (Castanea sativa Mill) on L. plantarum viability and physicochemical characteristics in a dry-cured sausage (Longaniza de Pascua) during storage is discussed. Four batches were prepared: CL with 3% chestnut flour added; CPL with 3% chestnut flour and 8.5 log CFU/g L. plantarum added; PL with 8.5 log CFU/g L. plantarum added and L, the batch control. The sausages were stored at 4 °C and 20 °C, and vacuum packed for 43 d. L. plantarum viability was affected by storage time (P < 0.001). However, higher L. plantarum counts at the final of storage were reached due to chestnut flour addition (P < 0.001). At room storage, chestnut flour caused a higher increase in TBARS values (P = 0.022). Nevertheless, all lipid oxidation treatments were in the range of accepted values at the sensory detection level. In conclusion, Longaniza de Pascua can be kept at 4 °C or 20 °C for 43 d without causing any rancidity problems.

Synbiotic combination of prebiotic, cacao pod husk pectin and probiotic, Lactobacillus plantarum, improve the immunocompetence and growth of Litopenaeus vannamei

To reach the sustainable development goals on waste recycling, cacao pod husk (CPH), produced as an agricultural waste byproduct during the cacao bean processing was applied to manufacture CPH pectin for developing the potential for diverse application in aquaculture, minimizing CPH impact to the environment and bringing benefits to the agriculture and aquaculture industries. In this study, CPH pectin (5 g/kg diet) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP; 10¹⁰ cfu/kg diet) were separately introduced to the diets of Litopenaeus vannamei for a 56-day feeding trial, and two synbiotic combinations of CPH pectin and LP (CPH pectin at 5 g/kg diet + LP at 10⁷ cfu/kg diet or at 10¹⁰ cfu/kg diet) were also conducted. After the 56-day feeding trial, significantly elevated percent weight gain, percent length gains and feeding efficiency in L. vannamei were only observed in synbiotic combination of CPH pectin at 5 g/kg diet and LP at 10⁷ cfu/kg diet treatment, and the remainder of the treatments remained consistently similar to the control. Significantly increases in total haemocyte count, granular cells, phenoloxidase activity, and respiratory bursts were observed in L. vannamei fed with synbiotics at 7-28 days of feeding, accompanied by significant promotion of phagocytic activity and clearance efficiency in response to V. alginolyticus challenge during 56 days of feeding trial. Furthermore, at the end of the 56 days of feeding trial, shrimp receiving CPH pectin and/or LP treatments showed a significantly higher survival ratio against V. alginolyticus infection and hypothermal stress. It was therefore concluded that CPH pectin or LP was confirmed as an immunostimulant for L. vannamei to trigger immunocompetence through oral administration without negative effects within 56 days of feeding trial, and the synbiotic combination of CPH pectin and LP exhibited complementary and synergistic effects on growth performance and immunocompetence in L. vannamei.

Serum Untargeted Metabolism Reveals the Mechanism of L. plantarum ZDY2013 in Alleviating Kidney Injury Induced by High-Salt Diet

A high-salt diet (HSD) is one of the key risk factors for hypertension and kidney injury. In this study, a HSD C57BL/6J mice model was established with 4% NaCl, and then different concentrations of Lactobacillus plantarum ZDY2013 were intragastrically administered for 2 weeks to alleviate HSD-induced renal injury. For the study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, non-targeted metabonomics, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, and Masson’s staining were used to investigate the mechanism of L. plantarum ZDY2013 in alleviating renal damage. Results showed that HSD caused intestinal inflammation and changed the intestinal permeability of mice, disrupted the balance of intestinal flora, and increased toxic metabolites (tetrahydrocorticosteron (THB), 3-methyhistidine (3-MH), creatinine, urea, and L-kynurenine), resulting in serious kidney damage. Interestingly, L. plantarum ZDY2013 contributed to reconstructing the intestinal flora of mice by increasing the level of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and decreasing that of Prevotella and Bacteroides. Moreover, the reconstructed intestinal microbiota significantly changed the concentration of the metabolites of hosts through metabolic pathways, including TCA cycle, ABC transport, purine metabolism, and histidine metabolism. The content of uremic toxins such as L-kynurenine, creatinine, and urea in the serum of mice was found to be decreased by L. plantarum ZDY2013, which resulted in renal injury alleviation. Our data suggest that L. plantarum ZDY2013 can indeed improve chronic kidney injury by regulating intestinal flora, strengthening the intestinal barrier, limiting inflammatory response, and reducing uremic toxins.

Effectiveness of human-origin Lactobacillus plantarum PL-02 in improving muscle mass, exercise performance and anti-fatigue

Gut microbiota is very important for energy metabolism and regulation, which in turn affect the health and physiological functions of the host, and provide energy required for exercise. Supplementation with probiotics may be one of the ways to change the gut microbiota. In recent years, many studies have shown that probiotic supplementation can effectively improve sports performance. In this study, we screened Lactobacillus plantarum (PL-02), a probiotic of human-origin, from the intestines of 2008 Olympic women's 48 kg weightlifting gold medalist and explored the role of PL-02 in improved exercise endurance performance, reduced fatigue biochemical parameters, and changes in body composition. Male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were assigned to 0, 2.05 × 109, 4.10 × 109 and 1.03 × 1010 CFU/kg/day groups and were fed by oral gavage once daily for 4 weeks. The results showed that 4 weeks of PL-02 supplementation could significantly increase muscle mass, muscle strength and endurance performance, and hepatic and muscular glycogen storage. Furthermore, PL-02 could significantly decrease lactate, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), ammonia, and creatine kinase (CK) levels after exercise (p < 0.05). We believe that PL-02 can be used as a supplement to improve exercise performance and for its anti-fatigue effect.

DW2009 Elevates the Efficacy of Donepezil against Cognitive Impairment in Mice

Lactobacillus plantarum C29 and DW2009 (C29-fermented soybean) alleviate cognitive impairment through the modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Therefore, we examined whether combining donepezil, a well-known acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, with C29 or DW2009 could synergistically alleviate cognitive impairment in mice. Oral administration of donepezil combined with or without C29 (DC) or DW2009 (DD) alleviated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive impairment-like behaviors more strongly than treatment with each one alone. Their treatments significantly suppressed the NF-κB⁺/Iba1⁺ (activated microglia) population, NF-κB activation, and tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β expression in the hippocampus, while the brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF)⁺/NeuN⁺ cell population and BDNF expression increased. Their treatments strongly suppressed LPS-induced colitis. Moreover, they increased the Firmicutes population and decreased the Cyanobacteria population in gut microbiota. Of these, DD most strongly alleviated cognitive impairment, followed by DC. In conclusion, DW2009 may synergistically or additively increase the effect of donepezil against cognitive impairment and colitis by regulating NF-κB-mediated BDNF expression.

Dietary inclusion of watermelon rind powder and Lactobacillus plantarum: Effects on Nile tilapia's growth, skin mucus and serum immunities, and disease resistance

An eight-week investigation was conducted to access the potential impact of dietary watermelon rind powder (WMRP) and L. plantarum CR1T5 (LP) administered individually or in combination on immunity, disease resistance, and growth rate of Nile tilapia fingerlings cultured in a biofloc system. Three hundred twenty fish (average weight 16.57 ± 0.14 g) were distributed into 16 tanks at a rate of 20 fish per tank. The fish were fed different diets: Diet 1 (0 g kg^-1 WMRP and 0 CFU g^-1 L. plantarum) (control), Diet 2 (40 g kg^-1 WMRP), Diet 3 (10⁸ CFU g^-1 LP), and Diet 4 (40 g kg^-1 WMRP + 10⁸ CFU g^-1 LP) for eight weeks. A completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications was applied. Skin mucus, serum immunity, and growth parameters were analyzed every 4 weeks, and a challenge study against S. agalactiae was conducted at the end of the experiment. The findings showed that the inclusion of WMRP + LP, administrated individually or in a mixture, significantly (P<0.05) stimulated growth, skin mucus, and serum immune parameters of Nile tilapia fingerlings compared with the control. The highest values were detected in fish fed the combination of WMRP and LP, as opposed to individual administration of either WMRP or LP, in which no significant differences were detected. Within the challenge study, the relative percent survival (RPS) in Diet 2, Diet 3, and Diet 4 was 48.0%, 52.0%, and 68.0%, respectively. Fish fed 40 g kg^-1 WMRP + LP produced significantly higher RPS and protection against S. agalactiae than the other treated groups. Current results suggest that the dual administration of WMRP and LP maybe an effective feed additive for Nile tilapia grown in an indoor biofloc system, capable of improving growth parameters and increasing resistance to S. agalactiae infection.

The Lab4P Consortium of Probiotics Attenuates Atherosclerosis in LDL Receptor Deficient Mice Fed a High Fat Diet and Causes Plaque Stabilization by Inhibiting Inflammation and Several Pro-Atherogenic Processes

SCOPE

Previous studies show that Lab4 probiotic consortium plus Lactobacillus plantarum CUL66 (Lab4P) reduces diet-induced weight gain and plasma cholesterol levels in C57BL/6J mice fed a high fat diet (HFD). The effect of Lab4P on atherosclerosis is not known and is therefore investigated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Atherosclerosis-associated parameters are analyzed in LDL receptor deficient mice fed HFD for 12 weeks alone or supplemented with Lab4P. Lab4P increases plasma HDL and triglyceride levels and decreases LDL/VLDL levels. Lab4P also reduces plaque burden and content of lipids and macrophages, indicative of dampened inflammation, and increases smooth muscle cell content, a marker of plaque stabilization. Atherosclerosis arrays show that Lab4P alters the liver expression of 19 key disease-associated genes. Lab4P also decreases the frequency of macrophages and T-cells in the bone marrow. In vitro assays using conditioned media from probiotic bacteria demonstrates attenuation of several atherosclerosis-associated processes in vitro such as chemokine-driven monocytic migration, proliferation of monocytes and macrophages, foam cell formation and associated changes in expression of key genes, and proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells.

CONCLUSION

This study provides new insights into the anti-atherogenic actions of Lab4P together with the underlying mechanisms and supports further assessments in human trials.

Exopolysaccharides from Lactobacillus plantarum NCU116 Facilitate Intestinal Homeostasis by Modulating Intestinal Epithelial Regeneration and Microbiota

Regeneration of epithelia is crucial for maintaining the intestinal barrier and homeostasis. Our previous work showed that exopolysaccharides from Lactobacillus plantarum NCU116 (EPS116) regulated the barrier function and homeostasis of the intestine; however, the relevant mechanisms remain obscure. Therefore, we sought to explore the role of EPS116 in promoting intestinal epithelial regeneration. Our data showed that the administration of EPS116 markedly ameliorated inflammatory bowel disease-related phenotypes and promoted the regeneration of crypts in the colon of colitis mice. The results of immunofluorescence and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction experiments indicated that EPS116 strikingly increased the number of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and the expression of differentiation markers for goblet cells, enterocytes, and enteroendocrine cells in the mouse colon. Intestinal microbiota analysis showed that EPS116 increased microbial populations associated with intestinal regeneration and glycan metabolism. Therefore, the present study revealed a novel model that EPS116 promoted the intestinal homeostasis through modulating the proliferation and differentiation of ISCs and altering the gut microbiota profile.

Modulating the Bidirectional Communication of the Gut-Brain Axis in Times of Stress with Lactobacillus plantarum DR7

No Abstract Available.

Probiotic and Oxytocin Combination Therapy in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a rapidly growing neurodevelopmental disorder. Both probiotics and oxytocin were reported to have therapeutic potential; however, the combination therapy has not yet been studied. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 2-stage pilot trial in 35 individuals with ASD aged 3-20 years (median = 10.30 years). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive daily Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 probiotic (6 × 1010 CFUs) or a placebo for 28 weeks; starting on week 16, both groups received oxytocin. The primary outcomes measure socio-behavioral severity using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). The secondary outcomes include measures of the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, fecal microbiome, blood serum inflammatory markers, and oxytocin. All outcomes were compared between the two groups at baseline, 16 weeks, and 28 weeks into treatment. We observed improvements in ABC and SRS scores and significant improvements in CGI-improvement between those receiving probiotics and oxytocin combination therapy compared to those receiving placebo (p < 0.05). A significant number of favorable gut microbiome network hubs were also identified after combination therapy (p < 0.05). The favorable social cognition response of the combination regimen is highly correlated with the abundance of the Eubacterium hallii group. Our findings suggest synergic effects between probiotics PS128 and oxytocin in ASD patients, although further investigation is warranted.

Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum CJLP55 on Clinical Improvement, Skin Condition and Urine Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles in Patients with Acne Vulgaris: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Lactobacillus plantarum CJLP55 has anti-pathogenic bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro. We investigated the dietary effect of CJLP55 supplement in patients with acne vulgaris, a prevalent inflammatory skin condition. Subjects ingested CJLP55 or placebo (n = 14 per group) supplements for 12 weeks in this double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study. Acne lesion count and grade, skin sebum, hydration, pH and surface lipids were assessed. Metagenomic DNA analysis was performed on urine extracellular vesicles (EV), which indirectly reflect systemic bacterial flora. Compared to the placebo supplement, CJLP55 supplement improved acne lesion count and grade, decreased sebum triglycerides (TG), and increased hydration and ceramide 2, the major ceramide species that maintains the epidermal lipid barrier for hydration. In addition, CJLP55 supplement decreased the prevalence of Proteobacteria and increased Firmicutes, which were correlated with decreased TG, the major skin surface lipid of sebum origin. CJLP55 supplement further decreased the Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratio, a relevant marker of bacterial dysbiosis. No differences in skin pH, other skin surface lipids or urine bacterial EV phylum were noted between CJLP55 and placebo supplements. Dietary Lactobacillus plantarum CJLP55 was beneficial to clinical state, skin sebum, and hydration and urine bacterial EV phylum flora in patients with acne vulgaris.

Potentially Bioaccessible Phenolic and Antioxidant Potential of Fresh and Stored Lentil Sprouts-Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v Enrichment

The phenolic and antioxidant potential of potentially bioaccessible fractions of lentil sprouts was studied. Sprouts were cocultivated with a probiotic to obtain a new functional product and further stored in cool conditions. The fraction obtained after buffer extraction and gastric digestion had higher content of phenolics compared to the control (by 20% and 46%, respectively); however, a 9% decrease was observed in samples obtained after gastrointestinal digestion. After gastrointestinal digestion, the highest content of phenolics (278 µg/g d.w.) was determined in the fresh control sprouts. Compounds neutralizing ABTS and hydroxyl radicals, chelating metal ions, and exhibiting strong reducing power were effectively released after gastrointestinal digestion (e.g., the values of the gastrointestinal digestibility index for chelating power and ability to quench hydroxyl radicals significantly exceeded 1 in all studied samples). It was proved that the enrichment of sprouts with a probiotic and further storage significantly improved the antioxidant potential; compared to the fresh control sprouts, an increase by 45% and 10% was determined after the gastric and gastrointestinal digestion, respectively. Lentil sprouts enriched with L. plantarum 299v may be a new functional product characterized by the high antioxidant capacity of the potentially bioaccessible fraction.

In Vitro Evaluation of Probiotic Properties of Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP40 Isolated from Traditional Indigenous Fermented Food

In this study, traditional indigenous fermented food isolate Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP40 was screened for in vitro probiotic properties, antibiotic susceptibility, hemolytic activity, production of lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, bile salt hydrolase and phytase, and antioxidative activity. Results showed that Lact. plantarum UBLP40 can survive simulated gastrointestinal conditions, adhere to mucin, possess a hydrophobic cell surface, ability to auto-aggregation, and possessed antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus luteus MTCC 106, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC® BAA-1720, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 1688, and Escherichia coli MTCC 1687. Lact. plantarum UBLP40 produced 48.59 U/mg phytase and 1.78 ± 0.01 gm % lactic acid and showed the ability to produce hydrogen peroxide and bile salt hydrolase. Moreover, the usual antibiotic susceptible profile and non-hemolytic activity indicated the safety of the strain. The intracellular extract of UBLP40 showed 13.8 ± 1.4% (equivalent to ~8 µM butylated hydroxytoluene) α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, reducing activity equivalent to 1 µg L-cysteine, Fe²⁺ chelation equivalent to 5 µM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and exhibited 17.73 ± 4.40 µM glutathione per gram of protein. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Lact. plantarum UBLP40 is a potential probiotic candidate.

Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium bifidum alleviate dry eye in mice with exorbital lacrimal gland excision by modulating gut inflammation and microbiota

In order to understand the efficacy of probiotics against dry eye syndrome, we selected anti-inflammatory probiotics Lactobacillus plantarum NK151 and Bifidobacterium bifidum NK175, which increased the ratio of IL-10 to TNF-α expression, from the human gut bacteria collection and examined their effects on tear secretion and cornea/conjunctiva inflammation in mice with excision of the unilateral exorbital lacrimal gland and 1% atropine and 0.1% benzalkonium chloride solution (ELA)-induced dry eye. Exposure to ELA significantly reduced tear secretion in mice, assessed by the phenol red thread tear test. However, oral gavage of NK151 and/or NK175 significantly increased ELA-suppressed tear secretion, IL-10 expression, and goblet cell population and decreased the ELA-induced corneal fluorescein-staining score, IL-1β and TNF-α expression in the conjunctiva. They also suppressed ELA-induced myeloperoxidase, IL-1β, and TNF-α expression. In particular, they increased the ratio of IL-10 to TNF-α expression in the colon. Their treatments increased ELA-induced α-diversity reduction to that of the control group and partially restored ELA-shifted β-diversity to that of the control group. Oral gavage of NK151 and/or NK175 reduced ELA-induced Verrucomicrobia and Actinobacteria populations at the phylum level. Furthermore, they reduced ELA-induced Bacteroidaceae, Akkemansiaceae, and AC160630_f populations and increased ELA-suppressed Lactobacillaceae and Muribaculaceae populations at the family level. These gut bacteria populations exhibited significant correlation with the tear secretion volume. In conclusion, NK151 and/or NK175 alleviated dry eye by modulating the expression ratio of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and gut microbiota composition.