The Expression Levels of Genes Responsible for the Enzymatic Activity of Bile Salt Hydrolase (BSH) and the Relationship of Cholesterol Assimilation in L. plantarum and L. paracasei

Marine-Derived Enterococcus faecalis HY0110 as a Next-Generation Functional Food Probiotic: Comprehensive In Vitro and In Vivo Bioactivity Evaluation and Synergistic Fermentation of Periplaneta americana Extract Powder

Addressing the escalating global burdens of inflammatory bowel disease and antimicrobial resistance demanded innovative food-based approaches to fortify gut health and suppress pathogens. We introduced a novel edible probiotic, Enterococcus faecalis HY0110, isolated from marine Thunnus thynnus. Through comprehensive in vitro, in vivo, and metabolomic analyses, we demonstrated its superior antibacterial effects compared to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, along with significantly enhanced antioxidant and free-radical scavenging capacities. Notably, elevated acetic acid production strongly correlated with its antimicrobial efficacy (R ≥ 0.999). HY0110 also exerted antiproliferative effects on HT-29 colorectal cancer cells by attenuating β-catenin and BCL-2 expression while upregulating pro-apoptotic markers P62 and c-PARP. In a DSS-induced colitis model, HY0110 alleviated inflammation, restored gut microbial homeostasis, and enhanced deterministic processes in community assembly dynamics. Furthermore, fermenting Periplaneta americana powder with HY0110 triggered extensive metabolic remodeling, notably a 668.73-fold rise in astragaloside A, plus increases in L-Leucyl-L-Alanine, S-lactoylglutathione, and 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin A1. These shifts diminished harmful components and amplified essential amino acids and peptides to bolster immune modulation, redox balance, and anti-inflammatory responses. This work established a transformative paradigm for utilizing marine probiotics and novel entomological substrates in functional foods, presenting strategic pathways for precision nutrition and inflammatory disease management.

Probiotic Viability and Bioactive Properties of Buffalo Yoghurt Produced Using High Cholesterol-Assimilating Probiotic Strains

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to produce yoghurt with reduced cholesterol levels, enhanced antioxidant activity and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity while maintaining acceptable health properties, using buffalo milk and probiotic microorganisms.

METHOD

Buffalo yoghurts were produced using three different probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium lactis. ACE-inhibitor activities (%), antioxidant activities as DPPH (%), and cholesterol activities in HPLC of these yoghurts were determined during the 28-day storage period. In addition, probiotic microorganisms, total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and yeast mould were counted during storage.

RESULTS

The viability of probiotic microorganisms in buffalo yoghurts remained above 5 log CFU/g at the end of the storage period. Antioxidant activity ranged from 9.30% to 27.20%. Buffalo yoghurt is produced with Lpb. plantarum, which exhibited the highest viability (9.12 log CFU/g) and antioxidant activity values of 61.48%. Gastrointestinal digestion affected the antioxidant and ACE-inhibitor properties of the yoghurt samples. The highest ACE-inhibitory effect after gastric digestion on the 28th day was observed in yoghurt-produced Lpb. plantarum and B. lactis, with 24.30% and 25.14% values, respectively. Also, the ACE-inhibitory activity of the outer (OUT) phase for all yoghurt samples was higher than that of undigested samples. According to cholesterol peaks obtained in HPLC, the highest cholesterol assimilation was detected in yoghurt produced using Lpb. plantarum.

CONCLUSION

The data obtained from the study may contribute to research on the potential of probiotic microorganisms with cholesterol-assimilation ability and probiotic food products produced using them to reduce cholesterol risk.

Beneficial roles of gastrointestinal and urinary microbiomes in kidney stone prevention via their oxalate-degrading ability and beyond

Formation of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal, the most common composition in kidney stones, occurs following supersaturation of calcium and oxalate ions in the urine. In addition to endogenous source, another main source of calcium and oxalate ions is dietary intake. In the intestinal lumen, calcium can bind with oxalate to form precipitates to be eliminated with feces. High intake of oxalate-rich foods, inappropriate amount of daily calcium intake, defective intestinal transporters for oxalate secretion and absorption, and gastrointestinal (GI) malabsorption (i.e., from gastric bypass surgery) can enhance intestinal oxalate absorption, thereby increasing urinary oxalate level and risk of kidney stone disease (KSD). The GI microbiome rich with oxalate-degrading bacteria can reduce intestinal oxalate absorption and urinary oxalate level. In addition to the oxalate-degrading ability, the GI microbiome also affects expression of oxalate transporters and net intestinal oxalate transport, cholesterol level, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production, leading to lower KSD risk. Recent evidence also shows beneficial effects of urinary microbiome in KSD prevention. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the aforementioned aspects. Potential benefits of the GI and urinary microbiomes as probiotics for KSD prevention are emphasized. Finally, challenges and future perspectives of probiotic treatment in KSD are discussed.

Gut microbiota causally affects cholelithiasis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Background

The gut microbiota is closely linked to cholesterol metabolism-related diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. However, whether gut microbiota plays a causal role in cholelithiasis remains unclear.

Aims

This study explored the causal relationship between gut microbiota and cholelithiasis. We hypothesize that the gut microbiota influences cholelithiasis development.

Methods

A two-sample Mendelian randomization method was combined with STRING analysis to test this hypothesis. Summary data on gut microbiota and cholelithiasis were obtained from the MiBioGen (n=13,266) and FinnGen R8 consortia (n=334,367), respectively.

Results

Clostridium senegalense, Coprococcus3, and Lentisphaerae increased the risk of cholelithiasis and expressed more bile salt hydrolases. In contrast, Holdemania, Lachnospiraceae UCG010, and Ruminococcaceae NK4A214 weakly expressed bile salt hydrolases and were implied to have a protective effect against cholelithiasis by Mendelian randomization analysis.

Conclusion

Gut microbiota causally influences cholelithiasis and may be related to bile salt hydrolases. This work improves our understanding of cholelithiasis causality to facilitate the development of treatment strategies.

Isolation of Latilactobacillus curvatus with Enhanced Nitric Oxide Synthesis from Korean Traditional Fermented Food and Investigation of Its Probiotic Properties

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical associated with physiological functions such as blood pressure regulation, cardiovascular health, mitochondrial production, calcium transport, oxidative stress, and skeletal muscle repair. This study aimed to isolate Latilactobacillus curvatus strains with enhanced NO production from the traditional Korean fermented food, jangajji, and evaluate their probiotic properties for industrial purposes. When cells were co-cultured with various bacterial stimulants, NO production generally increased, and NO synthesis was observed in the range of 20-40 mg/mL. The selected strains of Lat. curvatus were resistant to acid and bile conditions and with variable effectiveness (1-14%) in adhering to Caco-2 cells. Most bacterial strains can inhibit the growth of various pathogens. In addition, they are capable of reducing cholesterol levels via assimilation of cholesterol at 10-50%. Among the selected NO synthases from Lat. curvatus strains, the strain JBCC38 showed the highest capacity to scavenge ABTS (30.1%) and DPPH radicals (39.4%). Moreover, these strains exhibited immunomodulatory properties. The production of TNF-α and IL-6 in the macrophages treated with various bacterial stimulants was induced in all the selected strains.