Exopolysaccharides from Bifidobacterium animalis Ameliorate Escherichia coli-Induced IPEC-J2 Cell Damage via Inhibiting Apoptosis and Restoring Autophagy

Abstract

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a common zoonotic pathogen that causes acute infectious diarrhea. Probiotics like Bifidobacterium are known to help prevent pathogen infections. The protective effects of Bifidobacterium are closely associated with its secretory products exopolysaccharides (EPS). We explored the effects of the EPS from Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis) on ameliorating the damage of an intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) during EPEC infection. Pretreatment with EPS alleviated EPEC-induced apoptosis through the restoration of cell morphology and the downregulation of protein expressions of cleaved-caspase 8, cleaved-caspase 3, and cleaved-PARP. EPS-mediated remission of apoptosis significantly improved cell viability during EPEC infection. EPEC infection also resulted in impaired autophagy, as demonstrated by decreased expressions of autophagy-related proteins Beclin 1, ATG5, and microtubule-binding protein light chain-3B (LC3B) and the increased expression of p62 through western blot analysis. However, EPS reversed these effects which indicated that EPS promoted autophagosome formation. Furthermore, EPS prevented the lysosome damage induced by EPEC as it enhanced lysosomal acidification and raised lysosome-associated protein levels, thus promoted autophagosome degradation. Our findings suggest that the amelioration of EPEC-induced cell damages by EPS is associated with the limitation of detrimental apoptosis and the promotion of autophagy flux.

Probiotic Bacillus subtilis LF11 Protects Intestinal Epithelium Against Salmonella Infection

“…The higher survival of NCM460 cells in the exclusion experiment than that in competition experiments showed that the pre-exposure was helpful to B. subtilis LF11 to play obvious exclusive activity against Salmonella infection. Generally, these results are consistent with the reports that probiotics is known to help prevent pathogen infections in application (Que et al, 2021;Yuan et al, 2021).…”

Intestinal models based on biomimetic scaffolds with an ECM micro-architecture and intestinal macro-elasticity: close to intestinal tissue and immune response analysis

“…43 Exopolysaccharides (EPS) secreted by probiotics can restore cell morphology, down-regulate the expression of cysteine aspartate specific proteinase (caspase), and promote the formation of autophagosomes to alleviate E. coli -induced cell apoptosis. 44 Surface layer proteins (SLP) of probiotics could protect HT-29 cells against intestinal pathogen-induced apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated pathway. 45 Our work confirms the inhibitory effects of L. reuteri and the supernatant on E. coli -induced apoptosis in primary intestinal epithelium models.…”

High-Molecular-Weight Dextran-Type Exopolysaccharide Produced by the Novel Apilactobacillus waqarii Improves Metabolic Syndrome: In Vitro and In Vivo Analyses

“…Previous research shows similar effects of bacterial-derived EPS. Notably, EPS from Bifidobacterium animalis improved cell growth in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli-damaged intestinal cells [ 40 ]. EPS produced by Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum also protect against intestinal epithelial monolayer disruption in colitis models [ 41 , 42 ].…”