The purpose of this study was to determine whether the administration of the feruloyl esterase (FE)-producing strain Lactobacillus fermentum CRL1446 enhances metabolic and oxidative parameters in caloric-restricted (CR) mice. Balb/c male mice were divided into ad libitum fed Group (ALF Group), CR diet Group (CR Group) and CR diet plus L. fermentum Group (CR-Lf Group). CR diet was administered during 45 days and CRL1446 strain was given in the dose of 10⁸ cells/mL/day/mouse. FE activity was determined in intestinal mucosa and content at Day 1, 20 and 45. Triglyceride, total cholesterol, glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels and glutathione reductase activity were determined in plasma. Gut microbiota was evaluated by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. At Day 45, total intestinal FE activity in CR-Lf Group was higher (p = 0.020) than in CR and ALF groups and an improvement in both metabolic (reductions in triglyceride (p = 0.0025), total cholesterol (p = 0.005) and glucose (p < 0.0001) levels) and oxidative (decrease of TBARS levels and increase of plasmatic glutathione reductase activity (p = 0.006)) parameters was observed, compared to ALF Group. CR diet increased abundance of Bacteroidetes and CRL1446 administration increased abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus genus. L. fermentun CRL1446 exerted a bifidogenic effect under CR conditions.

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of oral administration of probiotic Lactobacillus (L.) fermentum CRL1446, with feruloyl esterase (FE) activity, on metabolic biomarkers and intestinal microbiota of mice with high fat diet-induced Metabolic Syndrome (MS) and supplemented with wheat bran as a source of esterified ferulic acid. Six-week-old male Swiss albino mice developed the components of MS when fed with high fat diet supplemented with wheat bran (HFD + WB) for 14 weeks. Positive impact of L. fermentum CRL1446 administration on these animals was reflected in a decrease in body weight gain and adiposity index compared to the animals that did not receive the probiotic strain. In addition, a decrease in plasma leptin levels, improvement of inflammatory profile, reduction of fatty infiltration in hepatocytes and modification of lipid profile (increased HDL-cholesterol and decreased LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels) were observed. On the other hand, L. fermentum CRL1446 reduced fasting glucose and insulin levels, improving the HOMA index in mice with MS. Postprandial glucose levels were also reduced in the oral glucose tolerance test. Consumption of L. fermentum CRL1446 with HFD + WB (HFD + WB-Lf mice group) had a great impact on host metabolism, modulating intestinal microbiota, with an increase in Bacteroidetes and a decrease in Firmicutes abundance being observed. Increased intestinal FE activity, improved oxidative status and increased abundance of 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid and butyric acid concentration in colonic content, were also demonstrated in HFD + WB-Lf mice. Results obtained suggest that supplementation with L. fermentum CRL1446 enhances beneficial effects of a bran diet, attenuating the risk factors associated with MS.

The administration of goat milk fermented (FGM) with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus CRL1447 and supplemented with different mixes of lactobacilli strains (Mix1: Limosilactobacillus fermentum CRL1446 + Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum CRL1449 + Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum CRL1472; Mix2: CRL1446 + CRL1449; Mix3: CRL1446 + CRL1472; and Mix4: CRL1449 + CRL1472) was investigated regarding body weight, metabolic and inflammatory parameters, and gut microbiota (GM) composition in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Body weight gain, adipocyte size, fasting blood glucose, serum triglyceride, and leptin levels were significantly reduced in the group fed FGM+Mix3 compared with the obese mice fed FGM. FGM+Mix2 and FGM+Mix3 modified the GM composition, reversing the dysbiosis caused by the HFD. Although there were no significant changes at the phylum level, the GM composition was significantly changed at the family and genus levels. Results suggest that the administration of FGM+Mix3 improves metabolic and immune profiles in obese mice while positively modulating the GM, therefore attenuating the risk factors associated with obesity.

Background/Objectives: Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1231 (Lj CRL1231) is a strain with feruloyl esterase (FE) activity that enhances ferulic acid (FA) release from wheat bran (WB) and has potential as a probiotic for metabolic syndrome (MS). Given the potential health benefits of FA and its microbial metabolites, this study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Lj CRL1231 co-administered with WB in a mouse model of metabolic syndrome (MS) induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods: Mice were divided into three groups and fed for 14 weeks as follows: the Control group (standard diet), the MS group (HFD+WB), and the MS+Lj group (HFD+WB and Lj CRL1231-dose 10⁸ cells/day). Specifically, we analyzed the changes in the intestinal microbiota (IM), colonic FE activity, generation of FA-derived and fermentation metabolites, and metabolic and inflammatory parameters. Results: Improvements in the MS+Lj group compared to the MS group included the following: a—a 38% increase in colonic FE activity, leading to elevated levels of FA-derived metabolites (e.g., dihydroferulic, dihydroxyphenylpropionic, and hydroxyphenylpropionic acids); b—a significant shift in the IM composition, with a 3.4-fold decrease in Firmicutes and a 2.9-fold increase in Bacteroidetes; c—a decrease in harmful bacteria (Desulfovibrio) by 93%, and beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium increased significantly (6.58 log cells/g); d—a 33% increase in total SCFAs; e—a 26% reduction in the adiposity index; f—a 12% increase in HDL cholesterol and a 19% reduction in triglycerides; g—normalized glucose and insulin resulting in a 2-fold lower HOMA-IR index; h—an improved inflammatory profile by decreasing TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-6 (3-, 5-, and 2-fold, respectively) and increasing IL-10 by 2-fold; i—alleviation of liver damage by normalizing of transaminases AST (19.70 ± 2.97 U/L) and ALT (13.12 ± 0.88 U/L); j—evidence of reduced oxidative damage. Conclusions: The co-administration of L. johnsonii CRL1231 and WB exerts a synergistic effect in mitigating the features of MS in HFD-fed mice. This effect is mediated by modulation of the gut microbiota, increased release of bioactive FA-derived compounds, and restoration of metabolic and inflammatory homeostasis. This strategy represents a promising dietary approach for MS management through targeted microbiota–metabolite interactions.

Dietary administration of fermented goat milk (FGM) with the starter strain Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus CRL1447 and supplemented with different functional cultures (FCs) of lactobacilli strains (FC1: Limosilactobacillus fermentum CRL1446 + Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum CRL1449 + Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum CRL1472; FC2: CRL1446 + CRL1449; FC3: CRL1446 + CRL1472; and FC4: CRL1449 + CRL1472) was investigated in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). FGM supplemented with different FCs, referred to as Probiotic Goat Milk (PGM), demonstrated significant anti-obesity activity by reducing body weight and improving blood lipid profiles in obese mice. The animals that received the PGM showed less fat infiltration in the hepatocytes compared to the obese mice fed FGM. Hepatic proteomics data show that HFD generally upregulates proteins involved in fatty acid oxidation and downregulates proteins implicated in lipid synthesis, whereas the administration of FGM supplemented with FC3 (PGM3) improves the proteomic profile. These results suggest that PGM exerts systemic metabolic effects through modulation of the gut–liver axis, highlighting its potential as a dietary strategy against obesity-related disorders.