• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.328-331
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• 2022

Biofilms are complexly structured communities of microorganisms composed of surface-attached microorganisms, where their effects on the host have been controversial. In this study, we investigated the potential biofilm-forming capacity of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRH020 (DSM25568) by detecting genes known to promote biofilm formation. It was shown that the aggregation substance gene (asa 1) was presented in the LRH020 strain. Therefore, we investigated the phenotypic activities of the gene asa1 via two methods: biofilm formation and auto-aggregation activity. It was shown that the strain LRH020 had significantly less ability to form biofilm compared to the positive control strain Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 19433. Furthermore, LRH020 exhibited biofilm-forming activity comparable to Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), widely used probiotics. The auto-aggregation activity of LRH020 was also within the safe range similar to that of LGG. In conclusion, this study shows that both biofilm-forming and auto-aggregation activities of the LRH020 are comparable to one of the most studied probiotics strains, LGG.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.511-518
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• 2023

The use of dietary protein products has increased with interests in health promotion, and demand for sports supplements. Among various protein sources, milk protein is one of the most widely employed, given its economic and nutritional advantages. However, recent studies have revealed that milk protein undergoes fecal excretion without complete hydrolysis in the intestines. To increase protein digestibility, heating and drying were implemented; however, these methods reduce protein quality by causing denaturation, aggregation, and chemical modification of amino acids. In the present study, we observed that Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus IDCC 3201 actively secretes proteases that hydrolyze milk proteins. Furthermore, we showed that co-administration of milk proteins and L. rhamnosus IDCC 3201 increased the digestibility and plasma concentrations of amino acids in a high-protein diet mouse model. Thus, food supplementation of L. rhamnosus IDCC 3201 can be an alternative strategy to increase the digestibility of proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1039-1049
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• 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by immune dysregulation. Meanwhile, the supernatant of lactic acid bacteria (SL) was recently reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, HaCaT keratinocytes stimulated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) are widely used for studying AD-like responses. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of SL from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT keratinocytes, and then we investigated the strains' probiotic properties. SL was noncytotoxic and regulated chemokines (macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)) and cytokines (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-25, and IL-33) in TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT keratinocytes. SL from Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus MG4644, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei MG4693, and Lactococcus lactis MG5474 decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Furthermore, the safety of the three strains was demonstrated via hemolysis, bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, and toxicity tests, and the stability was confirmed under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Therefore, L. rhamnosus MG4644, L. paracasei MG4693, and Lc. lactis MG5474 have potential applications in functional food as they are stable and safe for intestinal epithelial cells and could improve atopic inflammation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.429-429
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• 2022

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.1044-1054
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• 2023

Growing evidence indicates a crucial role of the gut microbiota in physiological functions. Gut-brain axis imbalance has also been associated with neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Studies have suggested that probiotics regulate the stress response and alleviate mood-related symptoms. In this study, we investigated the effects of the probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus IDCC3201 (L3201) on the behavioral response and fecal metabolite content in an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) mouse model. Our study shows that chronic stress in mice for three weeks resulted in significant changes in behavior, including lower locomotor activity, higher levels of anxiety, and depressive-like symptoms, compared to the control group. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that disrupted fecal metabolites associated with aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis by UCMS were restored with the administration of L3201. Oral administration of the L3201 ameliorated the observed changes and improved the behavioral alterations along with fecal metabolites, suggesting that probiotics play a neuroprotective role.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.338-346
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• 2023

The demand for probiotic products has been steadily increasing, and Lactobacillus strains are widely used and are currently the most popular probiotics. Optimizing culture conditions for Lactobacillus production for use as probiotics will enhance their profitability by reducing production costs and time. Statistical analysis using response surface methodology revealed the following optimal sets of independent variables: 22.55 h (cultivation time), 25℃ (cultivation temperature), and 3.41% (w/w, prebiotics concentration) for Lactobacillus acidophilus; 24 h, 30.86℃, and 2% (w/w) for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum; 66.67 h, 35℃, and 3.41% (w/w) for Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus. Actual outcomes using predicted optimal conditions for Lactobacillus strains have been confirmed to closely match predicted results. This study will provide valuable guidelines for high yield Lactobacillus production.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.277-283
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• 2023

Purpose: Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is a common condition in infants, but little is known about healthcare providers' clinical experience treating infants with CMPA. To address this gap, we analyzed prospectively collected data from healthcare providers (HCPs) who treated infants under six months old with suspected CMPA using hypoallergenic formulas. The study focused on a commercial extensively hydrolyzed formula containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC53103) (eHF-LGG) or a commercial amino acid formula (AAF). Methods: In this secondary analysis of prospectively collected survey data, 52 HCPs treated 329 infants under six months old with suspected CMPA using hypoallergenic formulas. A series of two de-identified surveys per patient were collected by HCPs to assess short-term symptom relief in the patients and HCP's satisfaction with the management strategies. The initial survey was completed at the initiation of treatment of CMPA, and the second survey was completed at a follow-up visit. Results: The majority of HCPs (87%) in the study were general pediatricians, and most saw 2 to 10 CMPA patients weekly. Results showed that clinicians reported satisfaction with treatment in 95% of patients in the EHF cohort and 97% of patients in the AAF cohort and achieved expected clinical results in 93% and 97% of patients using eHF and AAF, respectively. Furthermore, few patients were switched from the hypoallergenic formula once initiated. Conclusion: The study provides new insights into HCP perspectives on treating infants with CMPA and supports using hypoallergenic formulas to manage this condition. However, additional prospective controlled studies are needed to confirm these initial findings.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1189-1196
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• 2023

This study proposed to demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of heat-killed Levilactobacillus brevis KU15152. Heat-killed L. brevis KU15152 showed antioxidant activity similar to that of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, in terms of radical scavenging activity. To evaluate the neuroprotective effects, conditioned medium (CM) obtained by incubating heat-killed bacteria in intestinal cells (HT-29) was used through gut-brain axis. CM from L. brevis KU15152 protected neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress. Pretreatment with CM significantly alleviated the morphological changes induced by H₂O₂. Heat-killed L. brevis KU15152 showed an increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in HT-29 cells. L. brevis KU15152-CM remarkably downregulated the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, while upregulating the expression of BDNF and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, L. brevis KU15152-CM reduced caspase-3 activity following H₂O₂ treatment. In conclusion, L. brevis KU15152 can be potentially used as food materials to avoid neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2023

This study aimed to identify lactic acid bacteria isolated from eight fermented milk products in Iran. We enumerated Lactobacillus species using De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS)-maltose and MRS agar with pH adjusted to 5.2, as well as assessment at 37℃ for 48 hr, studied Streptococcus spp. using M17 agar at 43℃ for 24 hr, and assessed Bifidobacterium species using nalidixic acid, paromomycin sulfate, neomycin sulfate, and lithium chloride (BL-NPNL) agar at 37℃ for 48 hr. The total viable Streptococcus spp. cell in fermented milk varied at 4.73-8.83 log CFU/mL. However, Bifidobacterium spp. were not detected in any of the tested samples. Lactobacilli were not detected in four of the eight samples, and viable Lactobacilli cells in the remaining four samples ranged 2.48-3.85 log CFU/mL. The pH of the tested samples ranged 3.53-4.19, and soluble solids (Brix measurement) ranged 7.5%-17.9%. A total of 130 isolates of gram-positive catalase-positive bacteria were characterized at the species level using 16S rRNA sequencing. Sequence analysis identified six species: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Levilactobacillus brevis.