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. 2018 Apr 13;9(2):205-223.
doi: 10.1007/s13167-018-0132-z. eCollection 2018 Jun.

Specific properties of probiotic strains: relevance and benefits for the host

Rostyslav V Bubnov  1   2 , Lidiia P Babenko  1 , Liudmyla M Lazarenko  1 , Victoria V Mokrozub  1 , Mykola Ya Spivak  1   3
Affiliations

Specific properties of probiotic strains: relevance and benefits for the host

Rostyslav V Bubnov et al. EPMA J. .

Abstract

Background: Probiotics have tremendous potential to develop healthy diets, treatment, and prevention. Investigation of in vitro cultural properties of health-promoting microorganisms like lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria is crucial to select probiotic strains for treatments based on gut microbiota modulation to justify individualized and personalized approach for nutrition and prevention of variety of diseases. The aim was to study the biological properties of LAB and bifidobacteria probiotic strains, namely adhesive properties; resistance to antibiotics; and biological fluids (gastric juice, bile, pancreatic enzymes), and to overview the literature in the field.

Materials and methods: We studied six LAB strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus ІМV В-7279, L. casei ІМV В-7280, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ІМV В-7281, L. rhamnosus LB-3 VK6, L. delbrueckii LE VK8, L. plantarum LM VK7), and two bifidobacteria strains (Bifidobacterium animalis VKL, B. animalis VKB). We characterized tinctorial, culturally morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties of probiotic strains of LAB and bifidobacteria by commonly used research methods. Determination of the resistance to antibiotics was carried out using disc-diffusion method. The effects of gastric juice, bile, and pancreatin on the viability of LAB and bifidobacteria were evaluated. Adhesive properties of LAB and bifidobacteria to epithelial cells were assessed calculating three indicators: average adhesion rate (AAR), participation rate of epithelial cells (PRE), and adhesiveness index of microorganisms (AIM). Electron microscopy of LAB and bifidobacteria cells was conducted.

Results: The studied strains of LAB and bifidobacteria did not form spores, were positively stained by Gram, grow on medium in a wide range of pH (1.0-9.0, optimum pH 5.5-6.5), were sensitive to a wide range of antibiotics; and showed different resistance to gastric juice, bile, and pancreatic enzymes. The most resistant to antibiotics were L. rhamnosus LB-3 VK6 and L. delbrueckii LE VK8 strains. The most susceptible to gastric juice was L. plantarum LM VK7, which stopped its growth at 8% of gastric juice; L. acidophilus IMV B-7279, B. animalis VKL, and B. animalis VKB strains were resistant even in the 100% concentration. Strains L. acidophilus IMV В-7279, L. casei IMV В-7280, B. animalis VKL, B. animalis VKB, L. rhamnosus LB-3 VK6, L. delbrueckii LE VK8, and L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMV В-7281 were resistant to pancreatic enzymes. Adhesive properties of the strains according to AIM index were high in L. casei IMV В-7280, B. animalis VKL, and B. animalis VKB; were moderate in L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMV В-7281; and were low in L. acidophilus IMV В-7279, L. rhamnosus LB-3 VK6, L. delbrueckii LE VK8, and L. plantarum LM VK7.

Conclusion: We recognized strain-dependent properties of studied LAB and bifidobacteria probiotic strains (adhesive ability, resistance to antibiotics, and gut biological fluids) and discussed potential for most effective individualized treatment for gut and distant sites microbiome modulation.

Keywords: Adhesive properties; Antibiotics; Bifidobacterium; Bile; Gastric juice; Gut microbiota; Individualized medicine; Lactobacillus; Pancreatic enzymes; Patient phenotype; Pili; Predictive preventive personalized medicine; Probiotics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with ethical standardsNot applicable.Not applicable.Not applicable.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Subcellular imaging (electronic microscopy) of the strains B. animalis VKL, B. animalis VKВ, L. acidophilus ІМV В-7279, L. casei ІМV В-7280, L. delbruеckii subsp. bulgaricus ІМV В-7281, L. rhamnosus LB-3 VK6 (ІМV В-7038), L. plantarum LM VK7, and L. delbrueckii LE VK8. The scale is shown in the images
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Resistance of investigated strains to gastric juice
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Strains resistance to bile acids
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Resistance of strains to the action of proteolytic enzymes
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Stability of probiotic strains to the complex action of biological fluids in the gastrointestinal tract, where 1 = L. acidophilus IMV В-7279, 2 = L. casei IMV В-7280, 3 = L. rhamnosus LB-3 VK6, 4 = L. plantarum LM VK7, 5 = L. delbrueckii LE VK8, 6 = L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMV В-7281, 7 = B. animalis VKB, and 8 = B. animalis VKL
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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