An innovative functional fermented vegetable milk analogue fermented by Acidipropionibacterium acidipropionici, Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactococcus lactis mitigates the inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Industrialised, developed Western countries are seeking alternative sources of proteins owing to a demand for healthier food and increased focus on animal welfare. Concomitantly, these countries are subjected to a growing incidence of ailments related to inflammation. This results in a growing demand for vegetable functional foods addressing dietary, ethical and health concerns. In this context, we previously developed a bacterial consortium composed of Acidipropionibacterium acidipropionici CIRM-BIA2003, Lactobacillus delbrueckii Bioprox1585 and Lactococcus lactis Bioprox7116, leading to an innovative fermented soymilk with anti-inflammatory effects, as suggested in vitro using cultured human intestinal epithelial cells (HIECs). We further show herein that this consortium modulates human immune cells, i.e. peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) ex vivo, favouring the production of IL-10 by monocyte-derived dendritic cells and IL-17. Moreover, we show that the consortium protects epithelial barrier integrity in vitro in cultured HIECs when subjected to an inflammatory challenge. We finally show that this innovative fermented functional food, when consumed in a preventive manner, mitigates acute colitis in vivo in rats subjected to TNBS-induced colitis. This development opens new avenues for preclinical and clinical studies aimed at components of a preventive diet or the potentialization of treatments dealing with emerging chronic diseases that involve gut hyperpermeability and inflammation.