The Combined Effect of Potential Probiotic Bacillus licheniformis MCC 2514 and Bifidobacterium breve NCIM 5671 Towards Anti‑inflammatory Activity on HT‑29 Cell Lines.

Probiotics are considered a natural source for treating many intestinal disorders, which deliver health benefits in different
ways. The study aims to evaluate the immunomodulatory gene expression on HT-29 cell line using Bacillus licheniformis
MCC 2514 and Bifidobacterium breve NCIM 5671 as a single culture and in combination. Upon inflammation induced by
LPS, the combination of bacteria downregulated the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1α (13.4), IL-12 (14.6), IL-8 (2.6), and
IL-6 (1.9), and in contrast, TNF-α (21.2) folds has upregulated. However, anti-inflammatory genes such as IL-4 (0.6), IL-10
(2.9), TGF-2 (92.2), and TGF-3 (85.8) folds were upregulated. The combination of bacteria against oxidative stress downregulated
the pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1α & β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and IL-18, and upregulated the anti-inflammatory
cytokines IL-10, IL-4, TGF-2, and TGF-3. On the introduction of Kocuria rhizophila, the pro-inflammatory cytokines
were upregulated. On supplementation of B. licheniformis and B. breve, the upregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines were
decreased, and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4 (6.2), IL-10 (23.5), TGF-2 (166), and TGF-3(28.4) folds were
increased. However, gene expression of toll-like receptor-2 was found high (26 folds) upon introducing probiotic bacteria.
ELISA results of Interferon-γ found that the expression was higher (7.19 ng/mL) on the introduction of both the bacteria in
combination. The higher anti-inflammatory activity was observed when potential probiotic bacteria were used in combination
compared to a single culture. Overall study indicates that the combination of aerobic B. licheniformis and anaerobic B.
breve has an anti-inflammatory activity that can sustain an excellent gastrointestinal environment during pathogen invasion
and inflammation.