<b>The Anti-inflammatory Potential of a Strain of Probiotic</b> <i>Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum</i> <b>G7:</b> <i><b>In Vitro</b></i> <b>and</b> <i><b>In Vivo</b></i> <b>Evidence</b>

Abstract

The genus <i>Bifidobacterium</i> has been widely used in functional foods for health promotion due to its beneficial effects on human health, especially in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In this study, we characterize the anti-inflammatory potential of the probiotic strain <i>Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum</i> G7, isolated from a healthy male adult. G7 secretion inhibited inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Moreover, oral administration of bacteria G7 alleviated the severity of colonic inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-treated colitis mice, which was evidenced by a decreased disease activity index (DAI) and enhanced structural integrity of the colon. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing result illustrated that the G7 alleviated DSS-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, accompanied by the modulated bile acids and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels. Overall, our results demonstrated the potential anti-inflammatory effects of <i>Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum</i> G7 on both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> models, which provided a solid foundation for further development of a novel anti-inflammatory probiotic.