Potential role of Lactobacillus plantarum in colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium through altering gut microbiota and host metabolism in murine model

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic lifelong disease characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Although more and more treatment options serve IBD, there is still no cure. It is important to find an effective treatment for IBD. This study aims to investigate whether Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) could alleviate colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Following the DSS challenge, L. plantarum on DSS-mediated inflammatory colon lesions in mice, and L. plantarum therapy heightened the relative abundance of the colon-resident Actinobacteria. Analysis of serum metabolomics also indicated that the content of MG (18:4 (6Z, 9Z, 12Z, 15Z)/0:0/0:0) was increased in response to L. plantarum therapy, and this was also the case for indolepyruvate and 1-hydroxyibuprofen. However, 13-oxooctadecadienoic acid (13-oxoODE) and indolylacryloylglycine content fell following the DSS challenge. Based on these results, the study elucidates the mitigatory effects of L. plantarum in colitis, which depend on its regulation of the colonic microbial community and its modification of serum metabolites. The results revealed that L. plantarum mitigated inflammatory colon lesions, reprogrammed the microbial community and altered the level of serum metabolites in a murine model challenged with DSS. The study may present a potential therapeutic strategy for colitis.