Aims: Certain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known to have anti-inflammatory effects; however, hiochi bacteria, which are taxonomically classified as LAB and known to spoil a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage, have not been studied in the same context. The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of hiochi bacteria strains and the underlying mechanisms.
Methods and results: We screened 45 strains of hiochi bacteria for anti-inflammatory effects and found that Lentilactobacillus hilgardii H-50 strongly inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in mouse splenocytes. This inhibition is attributed to its specific surface layer proteins (SLPs), which directly bind to LPS.
Conclusions: The L. hilgardii H-50 strain exerts anti-inflammatory effects through its SLPs.
Keywords: Lentilactobacillus hilgardii; Lactic acid bacteria; Lipopolysaccharide; anti-inflammatory properties; surface layer protein.
© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.