Lactobacillus brevis BGZLS10-17 and Lb. plantarum BGPKM22 Exhibit Anti-Inflammatory Effect by Attenuation of NF-κB and MAPK Signaling in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Abstract

Bronchial epithelial cells are exposed to environmental influences, microbiota, and pathogens and also serve as a powerful effector that initiate and propagate inflammation by the release of pro-inflammatory mediators. Recent studies suggested that lung microbiota differ between inflammatory lung diseases and healthy lungs implicating their contribution in the modulation of lung immunity. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are natural inhabitants of healthy human lungs and also possess immunomodulatory effects, but so far, there are no studies investigating their anti-inflammatory potential in respiratory cells. In this study, we investigated immunomodulatory features of 21 natural LAB strains in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). Our results show that several LAB strains reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine genes. We also demonstrated that two LAB strains, Lactobacillus brevis BGZLS10-17 and Lb. plantarum BGPKM22, effectively attenuated LPS-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation. Moreover, BGZLS10-17 and BGPKM22 reduced the activation of p38, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling cascade resulting in a reduction of pro-inflammatory mediator expressions in BEAS-2B cells. Collectively, the LAB strains BGZLS10-17 and BGPKM22 exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in BEAS-2B cells and could be employed to balance immune response in lungs and replenish diminished lung microbiota in chronic lung diseases.

Evaluation of the Volatile Composition and Sensory Behavior of Habanero Pepper during Lactic Acid Fermentation by L. plantarum

“…Each strain was inoculated at 40 °C for 8 h with an initial cell count of 10 7 cells·mL −1 , which was determined by direct count with a Petroff–Hausser counting chamber (Horsham, USA) with an optical microscope (VTVIX-2, Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) [ 13 ], in a MRS or De Man Rogosa Sharpe nutritious broth (DIFCO, Le Pont de Claix, France); a sample was taken and centrifuged at 4700 rpm, 20 min at 4 °C (MEGAFUGE 40R, Bremen, Germany) and the resulting pellets were washed twice with NaCl at a 0.85% mass/volume concentration in order to retrieve the bacterial pellet to inoculate by 10% ( v / v ) a medium consisting of 60% ( w / v ) sterilized Habanero pepper puree (HPP), which was then incubated for 5 h at 40 °C. Sterilization was carried out at 121 °C, 15 psi, for 15 min.…”

“…Direct microscopic count was used to determine the cell count [ 13 ], which was converted to dry weight with a correlation curve for each strain of L. plantarum , the commercial (COM) and the wild (WIL) one. The curve consisted of previously fermented samples of COM and WIL in MRS diluted in distilled water.…”

“…The evaluation of sensory attributes and emotions in foods helps in the identification of characteristics that increase customer satisfaction, leading to a greater opportunity for purchase intent on their part [ 12 ]. The study previously conducted by Peralta-Cruz et al [ 13 ] showed that there was a difference in the emotions caused by the degree of maturity of Habanero pepper (unripe or ripe) as well as in the sensory attributes to which they were related. Thus, the response in the emotions and sensory attributes of habanero pepper might be affected during the fermentation of this fruit due to the biochemical changes that the raw material will undergo in the process [ 14 ].…”