IL-6 expression-suppressing Lactobacillus reuteri strains alleviate gut microbiota-induced anxiety and depression in mice

Abstract Fecal microbiota transplantation from patients with depression/inflammatory bowel disease (PDI) causes depression with gut inflammation in mice. Here, we investigated the effects of six Lactobacillus reuteri strains on brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), serotonin, and interleukin (IL)-6 expression in neuronal or macrophage cells and PDI fecal microbiota-cultured microbiota (PcM)-induced depression in mice. Of these strains, L6 most potently increased BDNF and serotonin levels in corticosterone-stimulated SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells, followed by L3. L6 most potently decreased IL-6 expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. When L1 (weakest in vitro), L3, and L6 were orally administered in mice with PcM-induced depression, L6 most potently suppressed depression-like behaviors and hippocampal TNF-α and IL-6 expression and increased hippocampal serotonin, BDNF, 5HT7, GABAARα1, and GABABR1b expression, followed by L3 and L1. L6 also suppressed TNF-α and IL-6 expression in the colon. BDNF or serotonin levels in corticosterone-stimulated neuronal cells were negatively correlated with depression-related biomarkers in PcM-transplanted mice, while IL-6 levels in LPS-stimulated macrophage were positively correlated. These findings suggest that IL-6 expression-suppressing and BDNF/serotonin expression-inducing LBPs in vitro, particularly L6, may alleviate gut microbiota-involved depression with colitis in vivo.