Lentilactobacillus hilgardiiH-50 strongly inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in mouse splenocytes via its specific surface layer proteins

Certain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known to have anti-inflammatory effects; however, hiochi bacteria, which are taxonomically classified as LAB and known to spoil a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage, have not been studied in the same context. The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of hiochi bacteria strains and the underlying mechanisms.We screened 45 strains of hiochi bacteria for anti-inflammatory effects and found that Lentilactobacillus hilgardii H-50 strongly inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in mouse splenocytes. This inhibition is attributed to its specific surface layer proteins (SLPs), which directly bind to LPS.The L. hilgardii H-50 strain exerts anti-inflammatory effects through its SLPs.