Dietary Lactobacillus reuteri prevent from inflammation mediated apoptosis of liver via improving intestinal microbiota and bile acid metabolism

Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) has been recognized as a probiotic to improve liver health, whereas the mechanism behind is still unknown. Herein, mice were gavaged with a strain of L. reuteri named SLZX19-12, which was isolated from faeces of healthy Tibetan pigs in our lab to investigate its effects on liver function. The results demonstrated that dietary L. reuteri changed the constituents of bile acid pool, especially influenced on metabolism of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). In addition, L. reuteri reduced content of cholestasis-associated microbiota and effectively prevented liver from inflammatory response and hepatocyte apoptosis under the acute stimulation from LPS. We further revealed UDCA played an important part in protection of liver health during the stimulation of inflammatory factors in vitro. This study provides theoretical support and novel mechanism of action of L. reuteri protects liver from injury and influences on host physical health via regulation of crosstalk between bile acids and gut microbiota.