Strain-Specific Modulation of Oxidative Stress, Carbohydrate Metabolism and Adipogenesis by Probiotic Bacillus spp. in 3T3-L1 cells
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Keywords:
Alpha-Amylase; Alpha-Glucosidase; Adipogenic Differentiation; Probiotics; 3T3-L1 Cells.Abstract
Background: Abnormal adipocyte growth, marked by increased cell number and differentiation, is a significant pathological aspect of obesity. Thus, inhibiting adipocyte differentiation is a potential approach for obesity prevention. Recent studies indicate that specific probiotic strains can influence lipid metabolism both in-vitro and in-vivo. In the present study, the cytotoxic, antioxidant, and anti-adipogenic potential of four Bacillus strains - B.coagulans, B.subtilis, B.clausii, and B.paralicheniformis was investigated.
Methods: Anti-adipogenic activity was tested in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells through treatment with selected strains during differentiation. Cytotoxicity was measured using the MTT assay to evaluate cellular metabolic activity. Antioxidant activity of Bacillus strains was assessed in-vitro via DPPH scavenging, and anti-adipogenic protein expression was analyzed using the ELISA assay. Additionally, the strains' inhibitory effects on carbohydrate digestion and starch hydrolysis were tested through α-amylase and α-glucosidase assays.
Results: All tested strains demonstrated anti-adipogenic potential by reducing lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells, as evidenced by Oil Red O staining. The results revealed that all Bacillus strains exhibited a comparable reduction in lipid accumulation relative to MDI-induced control cells. The modulation of adipogenic differentiation was further confirmed by the PPAR-γ assay, which demonstrated that all strains influenced adipogenesis-related protein expression. Among the tested Bacillus strains, B.paralicheniformis and B.subtilis exhibited the strongest anti-adipogenic effects, while B.coagulans showed moderate activity. B.clausii had the least anti-obesity potential. Additionally, all strains demonstrated significant free radical scavenging activity, indicating their antioxidant potential.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that certain Bacillus probiotic strains could be effective functional ingredients for addressing obesity and related metabolic disorders.
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