Antioxidant and immune-enhancing effects of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 200655 isolated from kimchi

Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effects of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum KU200656 isolated from kimchi

The probiotic properties and anti-pathogenic effects of Lactobacillus plantarum KU200656 (KU200656) isolated from Korean fermented kimchi against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella Typhimurium were investigated. KU200656 showed high tolerance to artificial gastric acid (99.48%) and bile salts (102.40%) and this strain was safe according to antibiotic sensitivity test; it could not produce harmful enzymes, including β-glucuronidase. KU200656 exhibited high adhesion (4.45%) to intestinal cells, HT-29 cells, with high cell surface hydrophobicity (87.31% for xylene and 81.11% for toluene). Moreover, KU200656 co-aggregated with pathogenic bacteria and exhibited antibacterial activity and anti-adhesion properties against pathogens. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) of KU200656 inhibited biofilm formation by pathogenic bacteria. In addition, half of the minimum inhibitory concentration of the KU200656 CFS downregulated the expression of biofilm-related genes, as determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Therefore, KU200656 was demonstrated to possess anti-pathogenic effects and have potential for use as probiotics in the food industry.

Neuroprotective Effects of Heat-Killed Lactobacillus plantarum 200655 Isolated from Kimchi Against Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress plays an important role in exacerbating neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. In a previous study, Lactobacillus plantarum 200655 was shown to possess probiotic and antioxidant potential. The current study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of heat-killed L. plantarum 200655. We incubated intestinal cells (HT-29) with heat-killed L. plantarum 200655 in a conditioned medium (CM) and found that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA level was elevated in the HT-29 cells and the CM contained high concentrations of BDNF. The CM protected neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) from hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced toxicity. Moreover, the CM increased BDNF and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA expression and significantly reduced the apoptosis-related Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in H₂O₂-treated SH-SY5Y cells. At the protein level, the CM resulted in downregulation of caspase-3. These results indicate that L. plantarum 200655 might be used as a prophylactic functional ingredient to prevent neurodegenerative disease.

Puffing of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Enhances its Anti-Inflammatory Effects by Upregulating Macrophage Oxidative Phosphorylation

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), a widely used spice, has anti-inflammatory properties and other health benefits, but the detailed mechanisms of these effects are still poorly understood. Recent advances in assessment of cellular energy metabolism have revealed that macrophage mitochondrial respiration is critical in inflammatory responses. In an effort to enhance the anti-inflammatory function of turmeric with a simple processing method, extract of puffed turmeric was investigated for effect on macrophage energy metabolism. The high-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that puffing of turmeric significantly induced the degradation of curcumin to smaller active compounds including vanillic acid, vanillin and 4-vinylguaiacol. The in vitro consumption of oxygen as expressed by the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was significantly downregulated following lipopolysaccharides stimulation in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Puffed turmeric extract, but not the non-puffed control, reversed the LPS-induced decrease in OCR, resulting in downregulated transcription of the pro-inflammatory genes cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Dietary intervention in high-fat diet-induced obese mice revealed that both control and puffed turmeric have anti-obesity effects in vivo, but only puffed turmeric exhibited reciprocal downregulation of the inflammatory marker cluster of differentiation (CD)11c and upregulation of the anti-inflammatory marker CD206 in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Puffed turmeric extract further modulated the low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio toward that of the normal diet group, indicating that puffing is a simple, advantageous processing method for turmeric as an anti-inflammatory food ingredient.

Probiotic Properties and Antioxidant Activities of Pediococcus pentosaceus SC28 and Levilactobacillus brevis KU15151 in Fermented Black Gamju

Black gamju is Korean traditional beverage fermented with molds. The aim of this study was to assess the probiotic properties and antioxidant activities of novel Pediococcus pentosaceus SC28 and Levilactobacillus brevis KU15151 to develop black gamju with bioactive properties for health. Tolerance against artificial gastric juice and bile salts, adhesion ability on HT-29 cells of strains, and antibiotics susceptibility were evaluated as probiotics, and various enzyme productions were detected. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate, and β-carotene bleaching assay were used for antioxidant activity of samples. The tolerance of both strains to artificial gastric juice and bile salts (Oxgall) was more than 90%. Additionally, both strains did not produce β-glucuronidase and were resistant to gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, and ciprofloxacin. After fermentation of black gamju with each strain, the number of viable lactic acid bacteria increased to 8.25-8.95 log colony forming unit/mL, but the pH value of fermented samples decreased more (to pH 3.33-3.41) than that of control (pH 4.37). L. brevis KU15151 showed higher adhesion activity to HT-29 cells and antioxidant effects than P. pentosaceus SC28 in three antioxidant assays.

Clusters of Lactobacillus Strains from Vegetal Origins Are Associated with Beneficial Functions: Experimental Data and Statistical Interpretations

Nine strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and one strain of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei that were recently isolated from prickly pears, fresh figs and blackberries, which are traditionally and largely consumed fruits in Kabylia (north of Algeria), were studied here for their antagonism and antioxidant properties as well as for production of exopolysaccharides. With respect to their inhibitory properties, these strains were tested against three food representative pathogens including Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Staphylococcus aureus 2S6 and Listeria monocytogenes 162. The antagonism of these pathogens was attributable to lactic acid production, present in the cell free supernatant, at concentrations ranging from 9 to 16.74 g/L. The anti-adhesive properties observed on polystyrene or eukaryotic Caco-2 cells were exerted in a strain dependent-manner. Indeed, the scores obtained ranged from 27% to 75% for S. aureus 2S6, 54% to 95% for L. monocytogenes 162, and 50% to 97% for E. coli ATCC 8739. The co-aggregation of these Lactobacillus strains with the aforementioned target bacteria appeared to be exerted in a strain-dependent manner, with noticeably the upmost rate for Lb. paracasei FB1 on S. aureus 2S6. Interestingly, these novel Lactobacillus strains were able to produce a large amount (315.55 to 483.22 mg/L) of exopolysaccharides, and showed a significant scavenging activity on the 2,2-di-phényl-2-picrylhydrazyle (DPPH) synthetic free radical with rates of 51% to 56%. Of note, the highest antioxidant activity was observed for Lb. paracasei FB1 using the culture supernatants, intact cells or the intracellular extract. The statistical analysis of these data using the principal component analysis (ACP) enabled us to establish three distinct clusters with potential applications as bioprotective and/or probiotic agents, following further evaluation.

Immune-stimulating Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum Ln1 Isolated from the Traditional Korean Fermented Food, Kimchi

This study aimed to determine the immune-stimulating effects of heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum Ln1 (HK-Ln1) through the production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokine achieved by inducing NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-signaling pathways in macrophages. HK-Ln1 showed higher NO and cytokine production compared t°Control (nonstimulated lipopolysaccharide); in addition, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was induced through HK-Ln1treatment. The phosphorylation of IκB-α and p65 increased following treatment by HK-Ln1, which implicates IκB-α degradation and the translocation of p65 to nucleus. In addition, the phosphorylation of MAPKs, ERK 1/2, JNK, and p38 was induced following HK-Ln1 treatment.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum KU15149 Derived from Korean Homemade Diced-Radish Kimchi

Lactobacillus plantarum KU15149 was demonstrated to have probiotic behavior and functions, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. L. plantarum KU15149 obtained from homemade diced-radish kimchi has a high survival rate under artificial gastric acid (pH 2.5, 0.3% pepsin) and bile salt (0.3% oxgall) conditions. However, L. plantarum KU15149 did not produce β-glucuronidase, which is known to be a carcinogenic enzyme with resistance to several antibiotics, such as gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin. L. plantarum KU15149 strongly adhered to HT-29 cells and had high antioxidant activity in terms of 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging and β-carotene bleaching assays. L. plantarum KU15149 also exhibited a pronounced inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production, along with expression of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase -2 (COX-2) as well as proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, when RAW 264.7 cells were stimulated with LPS. Therefore, L. plantarum KU15149 exhibited pharmaceutical functionality as a potential probiotic.

Anticancer and immunomodulatory activity of egg proteins and peptides: a review

Eggs are widely recognized as a highly nutritious food source that offer specific health benefits for humans. Eggs contain all of the proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and growth factors necessary for embryonic development. In particular, egg white and yolk proteins are considered functional food substances because they possess biological activities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, metal-chelating, antihypertensive, anticancer, and immunomodulatory activities. Peptides produced via processes such as enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation by microorganisms, and some chemical and physical treatments of egg proteins have been shown to enhance the functional properties and solubility of these peptides. Peptide activity is strongly related to amino acid sequence, composition, and length. At present, cancer remains among the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and therefore research aimed at developing new treatments for cancer immunotherapy is of great interest. The present review focuses primarily on the anticancer and immunomodulatory activities of egg proteins and their peptides and provides some insight into their underlying mechanisms of action. A number of egg proteins and peptides have been reported to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, protect against DNA damage, decrease the invasion ability of cancer cells, and exhibit cytotoxic and antimutagenic activity in various cancer cell lines. Furthermore, egg proteins and peptides can stimulate or suppress pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines, as well as affect the production of inflammatory mediators in a variety of cell lines. In addition, the composition of eggs and the processes of egg proteins and peptides production will be discussed.

Probiotic Properties of Lactobacillus brevis KU200019 and Synergistic Activity with Fructooligosaccharides in Antagonistic Activity against Foodborne Pathogens

This study aims to evaluate the probiotic properties of Lactobacillus brevis (L. brevis) KU200019 and the synergistic activity with prebiotics on antimicrobial activity, and the potential application as an adjunct culture in fermented dairy products. The commercial strain, L. brevis ATCC 14869 was used as reference strain. L. brevis KU200019 was showed higher viability in simulated gastric (99.38±0.21%) and bile (115.10±0.13%) conditions compared to reference strain. L. brevis KU200019 exhibited antimicrobial activity against various foodborne pathogens. The supplementation of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) enhanced viability of lactic acid bacteria (>8 Log CFU/mL) and antioxidant activity [2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical assay (DPPH) assay, 31.23±1.14%; 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay, 38.82±1.46%] in fermented skim milk during refrigerated storage. L. brevis KU200019 was distinguished from the reference strain by its higher probiotic potential, antimicrobial activity, and higher antioxidant activity in fermented milk. Therefore, L. brevis KU200019 with FOS was demonstrated promising properties for further application in fermented dairy products with enhanced safety and quality.

Probiotic Properties and Neuroprotective Effects of Lactobacillus buchneri KU200793 Isolated from Korean Fermented Foods

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the probiotic characteristics and neuroprotective effects of bacteria isolated from Korean fermented foods. Three bacterial strains (Lactobacillus fermentum KU200060, Lactobacillus delbrueckii KU200171, and Lactobacillus buchneri KU200793) showed potential probiotic properties, such as high tolerance against artificial gastric juice and bile salts, sensitivity to antibiotics, nonproduction of carcinogenic enzymes, and high adhesion to intestinal cells. Heat-killed L. fermentum KU200060 and L. buchneri KU200793 showed higher antioxidant activity than heat-killed L. delbrueckii KU200171. The conditioned medium (CM) was used to evaluate the reaction between HT-29 cells and each heat-killed strain. All CMs protected SH-SY5Y cells from 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced toxicity. The expression of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) mRNA in HT-29 cells treated with CM containing heat-killed L. buchneri KU200793 was the highest. The CM significantly reduced the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and increased BDNF mRNA expression in SH-SY5Y cells treated with MPP⁺. These results indicate that L. buchneri KU200793 can be used as a prophylactic functional food, having probiotic potential and neuroprotective effects.

Lactobacillus fermentum strains of dairy-product origin adhere to mucin and survive digestive juices

Introduction. There is an ever present need to isolate and characterize indigenous bacterial strains with potential probiotic health benefits for humans.Aim. Lactobacillus fermentum of dairy origin was focused because of its propensity to adhere to the intestinal glycoprotein, mucin.Methodology. The lactobacillus strains were screened for mucin adhesion, resistance to low pH and bile, autoaggregation, hydrophobicity, and survival in an in vitro digestion model. The cholesterol-lowering and oxalate-degrading effects of selected strains were also determined. Safety was assessed for haemolytic, mucinolytic and gelatinase activity, biogenic amine production, antibiotic resistance and phenol resistance. Expression of the 32-mmub adhesion-related gene was also measured following strain exposure to simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) digestion.Results. The selected mucin-adhesive strains were tolerant to acid (pH 3.0) and bile (0.25 %) and demonstrated >85 % survival following simulated human digestion in the presence of milk. The digestive treatment did not affect the adhesive potential of PL20, and PL27, regardless of the food matrix. The simulated digestion had less effect on their adhesion than on the type strain and it also did not correlate with the mmub gene expression level as determined by qPCR. The selected strains exhibited cholesterol removal (36-44 %) and degraded oxalate (66-55 %). Neither of these strains exhibited undesirable characteristics.Conclusion. These preliminary findings suggest a functionality in the two strains of L. fermentum with high colonization potential on GIT mucosal membranes and possible health-promoting effects. This prima facie evidence suggests the need for further studies to test these probiotic candidates as live biotherapeutic agents in vivo.

Inula britannica fermented with probiotic Weissella cibaria D30 exhibited anti-inflammatory effect and increased viability in RAW 264.7 cells

The objective of this study was to increase the bioavailability of Inula britannica (IB) through fermentation with probiotic Weissella cibaria D30, and to evaluate the chemical composition, viability, and anti-inflammatory effect of fermented I. britannica (FIB). IB was fermented with W. cibaria D30 at 37 °C for 24 h. FIB increased total phenolic content and decreased total flavonoid content of IB. 1-O-acetylbritannilactone and ergolide production, which are associated with the viability, increased from 1.38 to 4.13 μg/mg, and decreased from 5.24 to 0.94 μg/mg, in the control and FIB, respectively. In addition, the cell viability of RAW264.7 cells increased when pretreated with 400 μg/mL FIB. FIB inhibited the production of nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPKs pathways. Therefore, FIB with W. cibaria D30 reduced the toxicity and increased the anti-inflammatory properties. These results indicate that FIB is a potential beneficial bioactive agent for functional foods.

Ketogenic Diet and Microbiota: Friends or Enemies?

Over the last years, a growing body of evidence suggests that gut microbial communities play a fundamental role in many aspects of human health and diseases. The gut microbiota is a very dynamic entity influenced by environment and nutritional behaviors. Considering the influence of such a microbial community on human health and its multiple mechanisms of action as the production of bioactive compounds, pathogens protection, energy homeostasis, nutrients metabolism and regulation of immunity, establishing the influences of different nutritional approach is of pivotal importance. The very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet is a very popular dietary approach used for different aims: from weight loss to neurological diseases. The aim of this review is to dissect the complex interactions between ketogenic diet and gut microbiota and how this large network may influence human health.

Physiochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Effects, and Sensory Characteristics of Quark Cheese Supplemented with Ginseng Extract

The objective of this study was to evaluate physicochemical and sensory properties, the texture profile, and antioxidant activity of ginseng extract-supplemented quark cheese as a new cheese product intended to improve public health. After addition of less than 1.0% ginseng extract, the moisture content of quark significantly decreased, while fat and protein levels increased, although microbial counts and lactose and ash contents were not affected significantly (p<0.05). In terms of color, L* values decreased significantly with increasing concentration of ginseng extract, while a* values increased significantly (p<0.05). The results of texture profiling showed that cohesiveness and springiness were unaffected, whereas hardness, gumminess, and chewiness increased significantly. The 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical-scavenging activities of the cheese fortified with 0%, 0.5%, or 1.0% of the ginseng extract were 4.22%±0.12%, 20.14%±1.34%, and 56.32%±1.54%, respectively. The results of sensory analysis indicated that bitterness, ginseng odor, and aftertaste significantly improved with increasing concentration of ginseng extract (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the overall quality attributes of quark cheese between the no-supplement control and samples with less than 0.5% of the ginseng extract (p>0.05), suggesting that these products could help to promote public health as functional foods.