Propionibacterium freudenreichii Inhibits RANKL-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation and Ameliorates Rheumatoid Arthritis in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Mice

Osteoclast differentiation is crucial for bone absorption, and osteoclasts are involved in bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Dairy Propionibacterium freudenreichii is used as a cheese starter and possesses prebiotic and postbiotic properties. It is known to stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria and produces valuable metabolites, such as vitamin B12 and propionic acid. However, limited information is available on the beneficial effects of P. freudenreichii on human disease. Herein, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of P. freudenreichii MJ2 (MJ2) isolated from raw milk on osteoclast differentiation and evaluate the improvement in RA. The murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, and a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model were used to perform in vitro and in vivo studies, respectively. Heat-killed P. freudenreichii MJ2 (hkMJ2)-treated cells significantly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and TRAP activity. HkMJ2-treated cells exhibited significantly decreased expression of genes and proteins related to RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation. MJ2 administration decreased the arthritic score in the CIA mouse model. Live and dead MJ2 inhibited bone loss and afforded protection against bone erosion and joint damage in CIA mice. MJ2 decreased the levels of collagen-specific antibodies and inflammatory cytokines and the expression of osteoclast differentiation-related genes and proteins in CIA mice. Interestingly, live and dead MJ2 showed similar RA improvement effects in CIA mice. In conclusion, P. freudenreichii MJ2 inhibited osteoclast differentiation by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and ameliorated CIA.

Use of Propionibacterium freudenreichii T82 Strain for Effective Biosynthesis of Propionic Acid and Trehalose in a Medium with Apple Pomace Extract and Potato Wastewater

Propionic acid bacteria are the source of many metabolites, e.g., propionic acid and trehalose. Compared to microbiological synthesis, the production of these metabolites by petrochemical means or enzymatic conversion is more profitable. The components of microbiological media account for a large part of the costs associated with propionic fermentation, due to the high nutritional requirements of Propionibacterium. This problem can be overcome by formulating a medium based on the by-products of technological processes, which can act as nutritional sources and at the same time replace expensive laboratory preparations (e.g., peptone and yeast extract). The metabolic activity of P. freudenreichii was investigated in two different breeding environments: in a medium containing peptone, yeast extract, and biotin, and in a waste-based medium consisting of only apple pomace and potato wastewater. The highest production of propionic acid amounting to 14.54 g/L was obtained in the medium containing apple pomace and pure laboratory supplements with a yield of 0.44 g/g. Importantly, the acid production parameters in the waste medium reached almost the same level (12.71 g/L, 0.42 g/g) as the medium containing pure supplements. Acetic acid synthesis was more efficient in the waste medium; it was also characterized by a higher level of accumulated trehalose (59.8 mg/g d.s.). Thus, the obtained results show that P. freudenreichii bacteria exhibited relatively high metabolic activity in an environment with apple pomace used as a carbon source and potato wastewater used as a nitrogen source. This method of propioniate production could be cheaper and more sustainable than the chemical manner.

Propionibacterium freudenreichii: General Characteristics and Probiotic Traits

Propionibacterium freudenreichii is a Gram-positive dairy probiotic bacterial species that has been used as a ripening starter in the production of Swiss-type cheese for a long time. It has been exploited for the optimization of cheese production, including ripening capacities and aroma compounds production, but also for the production of vitamin B12 and organic acids. Furthermore, it has emerged in the probiotics landscape owing to several beneficial traits, including tolerance to stress in the gastrointestinal tract, adhesion to host cells, anti-pathogenic activity, anticancer potential and immunomodulatory properties. These beneficial properties have been confirmed with in vitro and in vivo investigations, using several omics approaches that allowed the identification of important molecular actors, such as surface proteins, short-chain fatty acids and bifidogenic factors. The diversity within the species was shown to be an important aspect to take into consideration, since many of these properties were strain-dependent. New studies should dive further into the molecular mechanisms related to the beneficial properties of this species and of its products, while considering the complexities of strain diversity and the interactions with the host and its microbiota. This chapter reviews current knowledge on the possible impact of P. freudenreichii on human health.

EVALUATION OF BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES-COMPONENTS OF BIOCONSERVANTS

The aim of this work was to study the relationship between the isolates of Bacillus subtilis EFS, Lactobacillus plantarum, Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Lactococcus lactis, and Strepto-coccus lactis, which have the potential for the development of a bacterial preparation that improves the safety of plant-based feed during harvesting and storage. The possibility of using the tested iso-lates as part of the association was identified by the drip method, which is high quality and most suitable for primary testing. The method involved direct joint cultivation of microorganisms on the surface of a dense nutrient medium and visual assessment of signs of suppression or enhancement of the growth of one culture by another. As a result of the study, the following types of interactions between microorganisms were identified: neutrality, contact progression, antagonism, and contact regression. For inclusion in the association, isolates that showed neutrality and contact progression to each other were selected. The corresponding types of relationships were characteristic of B. sub-tilis EFS, L. plantarum, P. freudenreichii, and L. lactis isolates. Based on this, six recipes were formed that are promising for further research in order to develop a biological preparation that helps to improve the safety of plant-based feed during harvesting and storage.

Influência de matrizes encapsulantes no comportamento reológico de suspensões de permeado de soro lácteo fermentado

Este trabalho objetivou caracterizar o comportamento reológico de suspensões de permeado de soro lácteo, utilizados no processo de microencapsulação por spray dryer. Utilizou-se permeado de soro lácteo fermentado por Propionibacterium freudenreichii PS-1, os materiais de parede utilizados foram maltodextrina (DE-20) e amido modificado em uma proporção de 1:4 de ativo e encapsulante, em seis distintos tratamentos. As análises de comportamento reológico e viscosidade aparente foram realizadas com reômetro rotacional de cilindros concêndricos, e os sólidos solúveis por refratometria. Os resultados mostraram que a viscosidade aparente das amostras com maiores quantidades de amido apresentou os maiores valores, inferindo que este material encapsulante afeta mais a viscosidade aparente das suspensões analisadas do que a maldodextrina, resultados semelhantes foram obtidos com o índice de sólidos solúveis. Para o modelo de Newton foi possível notar que todos os tratamentos apresentaram valores superiores a 1 caracterizando-se como suspensões dilatantes e para o modelo de Ostwald-de-Waele todos os tratamentos apresentaram característica pseudoplástica.