Probiotics and Their Metabolites

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural and Bio-derived Molecules".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 23379

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. ProBioLab, Namur, Belgium
2. Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liege University, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Interests: physical chemistry of biological and food systems; prebiotic, probiotic and postbiotic characterization and applications; synergy and interaction research; biobased compounds; colloid and interfacial sciences; formulation; nutraceuticals; One Health approaches; nanoparticles
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, probiotics are among the most investigated research topics, owing to their beneficial effects on human, animal, and plant species. These live microorganisms are able to promote host health against numerous old-known and more recent diseases. Their use as natural and safe functional ingredients is becoming essential and continuing to grow while covering a wider range of applications for food and non-food products. However, their optimal and expected performance is not always achieved without a profound understanding of their actions and interactions within various models. Competition for nutrients and adhesion sites facing pathogens, metabolite production, and immune system modulation are among the main mechanisms at the basis of their functionalities. Further efforts are therefore needed to increase our knowledge of probiotics, metabolite products, and microbe– metabolite–host interactions at the molecular level.

This special issue dedicated to these subjects is focused rather on biochemical, biophysical, bioengineering, and technological aspects than clinical trial analyses. Probiotic action modes and characterization in relation to the produced biomolecules responsible for anti-pathogens, adhesion capacity, biofilm formation and destruction, and interactions with the host will particularly be targeted. Original research articles, reviews, communications, perspectives, and opinions dedicated to the topic of probiotics and their metabolites will be welcome. The selected high-quality articles will help in making progress into the design and development of future probiotic products with better quality, properties, performance, and stability.

Prof. Dr. Hary Razafindralambo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • probiotics
  • metabolites
  • functionality
  • biochemical aspects
  • biophysical aspects
  • physicochemical approach
  • molecular mechanism
  • interaction
  • synergy
  • adhesion
  • colonization
  • stability
  • prebiotics
  • postbiotics
  • synbiotics
  • viability
  • formulation
  • rational design
  • human health
  • animal health
  • plant health

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3313 KiB  
Article
Postbiotics of Naturally Fermented Synbiotic Mixture of Rice Water Aids in Promoting Colonocyte Health
by Charumathi Anbalagan, Sangeetha Kadapakkam Nandabalan, Pavithra Sankar, Prasanna Srinivasan Rajaram, Karthick Govindaraj, Secunda Rupert and Jeswanth Sathyanesan
Biomolecules 2024, 14(3), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14030344 - 13 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5653
Abstract
The eubiotic state of the gut microbiota is primarily brought about by various probiotic species that colonize the gut. It is becoming very clear that the probiotic-metabolite mixtures in the gut luminal milieu is central in establishing cross-kingdom signalling networks to maintain gut-multi-organ [...] Read more.
The eubiotic state of the gut microbiota is primarily brought about by various probiotic species that colonize the gut. It is becoming very clear that the probiotic-metabolite mixtures in the gut luminal milieu is central in establishing cross-kingdom signalling networks to maintain gut-multi-organ axes health. Culturally, different fermented foods and beverages have been regional staples since ancient times, and are known to be enriched with probiotics. However, regional variations including the environment, the staple food source (prebiotics), and fermentation methods, among other factors, influence the fermenting probiotic species. Fermented rice water (FRW), an economical, easy to make, simple beverage is a rich source of synbiotics. Therefore, consumption of fermented rice water allows for the intake of a variety of region-specific live probiotics. The secondary metabolites (postbiotics) present in such symbiotic mixtures may also contribute toward maintaining normal intestinal cellular functions. In this study, we highlight that regional staples such as rice consumed in their fermented form may hold promise in alleviating gut-related diseases. Our results show that simple overnight fermentation of cooked edible rice enables the growth of probiotic bacterial species belonging to the Lactic Acid Bacteria group (Leuconostoc lactis, Weisella confusa, Weisella cibacria, Lactococcus lactis, lactococcus taiwanensis, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus nagelii, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. indicus). Metabolomic analysis of the overnight fermented and over two-nights fermented rice water identified more than 200 postbiotic metabolites. Our results show that postbiotics contributing to energy metabolism, gut-multiorgan axes, and microbial paraprobiotics are enriched in the overnight (~10 h) fermented rice water as compared to the over two-nights fermented rice water. Functional analysis via gene expression studies for nutrient absorption (mct-1 and mct-2) and barrier integrity (occludin and zo-1) reveals significant upregulation of these genes upon FRW treatment of HT29 colon cells. This study is a first-of-its-kind to demonstrate the proof-of-principle that postbiotics of naturally fermented rice water positively modulates colonocyte health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics and Their Metabolites)
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21 pages, 7220 KiB  
Article
Beneficial Effects of Lactobacilli Species on Intestinal Homeostasis in Low-Grade Inflammation and Stress Rodent Models and Their Implication in the Modulation of the Adhesive Junctional Complex
by Célia Chamignon, Geoffroy Mallaret, Julie Rivière, Marthe Vilotte, Sead Chadi, Alejandra de Moreno de LeBlanc, Jean Guy LeBlanc, Frédéric Antonio Carvalho, Marco Pane, Pierre-Yves Mousset, Philippe Langella, Sophie Lafay and Luis G. Bermúdez-Humarán
Biomolecules 2023, 13(9), 1295; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13091295 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1829
Abstract
Intestinal barrier integrity is essential in order to maintain the homeostasis of mucosal functions and efficient defensive reactions against chemical and microbial challenges. An impairment of the intestinal barrier has been observed in several chronic diseases. The gut microbiota and its impact on [...] Read more.
Intestinal barrier integrity is essential in order to maintain the homeostasis of mucosal functions and efficient defensive reactions against chemical and microbial challenges. An impairment of the intestinal barrier has been observed in several chronic diseases. The gut microbiota and its impact on intestinal homeostasis is well described and numerous studies suggest the ability of some probiotic strains to protect the intestinal epithelial integrity and host homeostasis. In this work, we aimed to assess the beneficial effects of three Lactobacillus strains (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR04, Lacticaseibacillus casei LC03, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CNCM I-4459) and their mechanism of action in low-grade inflammation or neonatal maternal separation models in mice. We compared the impact of these strains to that of the well-known probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG. Our results demonstrated that the three strains have the potential to restore the barrier functions by (i) increasing mucus production, (ii) restoring normal permeability, and (iii) modulating colonic hypersensitivity. Moreover, gene expression analysis of junctional proteins revealed the implication of Claudin 2 and Cingulin in the mechanisms that underlie the interactions between the strains and the host. Taken together, our data suggest that LR04, CNCM I-4459, and LC03 restore the functions of an impaired intestinal barrier. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics and Their Metabolites)
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Review

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17 pages, 19407 KiB  
Review
Postbiotics and Their Health Modulatory Biomolecules
by Emma Scott, Kim De Paepe and Tom Van de Wiele
Biomolecules 2022, 12(11), 1640; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12111640 - 4 Nov 2022
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 7923
Abstract
Postbiotics are a new category of biotics that have the potential to confer health benefits but, unlike probiotics, do not require living cells to induce health effects and thus are not subject to the food safety requirements that apply to live microorganisms. Postbiotics [...] Read more.
Postbiotics are a new category of biotics that have the potential to confer health benefits but, unlike probiotics, do not require living cells to induce health effects and thus are not subject to the food safety requirements that apply to live microorganisms. Postbiotics are defined as a “preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host”. Postbiotic components include short-chain fatty acids, exopolysaccharides, vitamins, teichoic acids, bacteriocins, enzymes and peptides in a non-purified inactivated cell preparation. While research into postbiotics is in its infancy, there is increasing evidence that postbiotics have the potential to modulate human health. Specifically, a number of postbiotics have been shown to improve gut health by strengthening the gut barrier, reducing inflammation and promoting antimicrobial activity against gut pathogens. Additionally, research is being conducted into the potential application of postbiotics to other areas of the body, including the skin, vagina and oral cavity. The purpose of this review is to set out the current research on postbiotics, demonstrate how postbiotics are currently used in commercial products and identify a number of knowledge gaps where further research is needed to identify the potential for future applications of postbiotics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics and Their Metabolites)
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28 pages, 5504 KiB  
Review
Synbiotics and Their Antioxidant Properties, Mechanisms, and Benefits on Human and Animal Health: A Narrative Review
by Majid Mounir, Amal Ibijbijen, Kawtar Farih, Holy N. Rabetafika and Hary L. Razafindralambo
Biomolecules 2022, 12(10), 1443; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12101443 - 9 Oct 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6362
Abstract
Antioxidants are often associated with a variety of anti-aging compounds that can ensure human and animal health longevity. Foods and diet supplements from animals and plants are the common exogenous sources of antioxidants. However, microbial-based products, including probiotics and their derivatives, have been [...] Read more.
Antioxidants are often associated with a variety of anti-aging compounds that can ensure human and animal health longevity. Foods and diet supplements from animals and plants are the common exogenous sources of antioxidants. However, microbial-based products, including probiotics and their derivatives, have been recognized for their antioxidant properties through numerous studies and clinical trials. While the number of publications on probiotic antioxidant capacities and action mechanisms is expanding, that of synbiotics combining probiotics with prebiotics is still emerging. Here, the antioxidant metabolites and properties of synbiotics, their modes of action, and their different effects on human and animal health are reviewed and discussed. Synbiotics can generate almost unlimited possibilities of antioxidant compounds, which may have superior performance compared to those of their components through additive or complementary effects, and especially by synergistic actions. Either combined with antioxidant prebiotics or not, probiotics can convert these substrates to generate antioxidant compounds with superior activities. Such synbiotic-based new routes for supplying natural antioxidants appear relevant and promising in human and animal health prevention and treatment. A better understanding of various component interactions within synbiotics is key to generating a higher quality, quantity, and bioavailability of antioxidants from these biotic sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics and Their Metabolites)
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