Ricerc@Sapienza

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are involved in several food fermentations and many of them
provide strain-specific health benefits. Herein, the probiotic potential of the foodborne strain
Lactobacillus fermentum MBC2 was investigated through in vitro and in vivo approaches.
Caenorhabditis elegans was used as an in vivo model to analyze pro-longevity and anti-aging effects.
L. fermentum MBC2 showed a high gut colonization capability compared to E. coli OP50 (OP50) or
L. rhamnosus GG (LGG). Moreover, analysis of pumping rate, lipofuscin accumulation, and body
bending showed anti-aging effects in L. fermentum MBC2-fed worms. Studies on PEPT-1 mutants
demonstrated that pept-1 gene was involved in the anti-aging processes mediated by this bacterial
strain through DAF-16, whereas the oxidative stress protection was PEPT-1 independent. Moreover,
analysis of acid tolerance, bile tolerance, and antibiotic susceptibility were evaluated. L. fermentum
MBC2 exerted beneficial effects on nematode lifespan, influencing energy metabolism and oxidative
stress resistance, resulted in being tolerant to acidic pH and able to adhere to Caco-2 cells. Overall,
these findings provide new insight for application of this strain in the food industry as a newly
isolated functional starter. Furthermore, these results will also shed light on C. elegans molecular
players involved in host-microbe interactions.