Lactobacilli sp. mixture alleviates LPS-induced inflammation in Caco-2 intestinal cell line

In intestinal inflammation disorders (inflammatory bowel diseases, IBD), the strategies of chronic inflammation management are oriented to the alternative therapies. There were demonstrated the beneficial effects of probiotics as modulators of intestinal inflammation. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a probiotic Lactobacilli mixture on pro-inflammatory cytokines and in-depth MAPK signalling pathway in an in vitro model of intestinal inflammation. Intestinal Caco-2 cells were stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 4 hours; cells were cultured in presence of Lactobacilli sp. (Lb) mixture (Lb rhamnosus, Lb. paracasei and Lb. acidophilus, 1x10⁸ CFU each Lb) for additional 24 hours. Genomic and proteomic analyses were performed to evaluate 22 inflammatory-related genes and proteins (cytokines and their receptors) and p38/JNK/ERK MAP kinases. The Lactobacilli mixture inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokines expression in LPS-treated Caco-2 cells, the most affected cytokines being TNF-α and IL-12 p70 and up-regulated the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 genes and proteins when compared to LPS-stimulated. A percent of 66% of genes and 60 % of MAPKs proteins were down-regulated by Lb mixture, under the level of LPS-treated cells. Our data suggest that Lactobacilli mixture might inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines via p38/JNK/ERK MAPKs signalling pathways in LPS-stimulated Caco-2 cells.