Inflammation-related diseases are major causes of mortality and disability worldwide. This study aimed to identify and investigate probiotic bacteria that could be present in Al-Asfar Lake in Al-Ahsa City, Saudi Arabia to prevent the inflammatory responses of carrageenan-induced paw edema. In total, seven active strains were isolated, and three isolates (ASF-1, ASF-2, and ASF-3) exhibited a positive Gram stain and viable growth at 20% NaCl salinity; they also lacked catalase and hemolytic activities and had high levels of cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH). They also demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. These results revealed that ASF-2 had probiotic qualities, and it was selected for further research. ASF-2 demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory effects in an experimental model of carrageenan-induced paw edema; the experimental model showed decreased levels of pro-inflammatory markers, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 17 (IL-17), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and an increased level of an anti-inflammatory marker (interferon gamma (IFN-γ)). Animals in the control group saw a 45% decrease in edema when compared to mice in the carrageenan group. When comparing tissue damage and infiltration in the ASF-2-treated and non-treated mice, the histological examination of the sub-planar tissues of the hind leg revealed that the inflamed tissues had healed. The 16S rRNA sequencing method was utilized to establish that ASF-2 is, in fact, Enterococcus lactis with a 99.2% sequence similarity. These findings shed further light on ASF-2's potential as a biocompatible anti-inflammatory medication.
Keywords: Al-Asfar Lake; Enterococcus lactis; halotolerant bacteria; inflammatory disorders.