Fangjie Yin

Porcine β-defensin 2 (pBD2) possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and is crucial for gastrointestinal mucosal repair. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) serve as optimal vectors for exogenous protein delivery due to their high biosafety, intestinal colonization capacity, and ability to modulate gut microecology. In this study, we engineered a recombinant Lactobacillus paracasei strain (pPG-N1-pBD2/27-2) that efficiently secretes pBD2. In vitro, this recombinant strain significantly enhanced the proliferation and migration of porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2). In vivo, oral administration of pPG-N1-pBD2/27-2 markedly alleviated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. This protective effect was evidenced by reduced Disease Activity Index (DAI) scores, prevention of colon shortening, and decreased colonic activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO), alongside normalized N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) levels. Histopathological analysis revealed that the treatment preserved mucosal architecture, including goblet cells and crypts, and fortified the physical barrier by upregulating tight junction proteins. Mechanistically, the recombinant strain suppressed the colonic iNOS/COX-2 inflammatory axis, decreased serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α), and elevated the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Furthermore, it restored systemic immune homeostasis by normalizing the proportions of splenic macrophages, T/B lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells. In conclusion, pPG-N1-pBD2/27-2 mitigates colitis through a dual mechanism: reinforcing the intestinal physical barrier and rebalancing the innate–adaptive immune axis. These findings highlight the potential of pBD2-engineered probiotics as novel biological therapeutics for intestinal inflammatory diseases.

Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) exert a promotive effect on the functions of intestinal epithelial cells and offer protection to the intestinal mucosa. Lactobacillus paracasei can ameliorate intestinal mucosal damage. In this study, pPG-pTFF3/27-2, pPG-pEGF/27-2, and pPG-pTE/27-2 were constructed to express porcine TFF3, EGF, and a fusion protein (pTE). Functional assays showed they promoted Immortalized Porcine Enterocyte Cell line J2 (IPEC-J2) proliferation and migration, with pTE having a greater migratory effect. In dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice, oral administration of pPG-pTE/27-2 reduced colitis, improved mucosal integrity, increased the expression of tight-junction proteins and the serum level of Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β). These results imply that recombinant L. paracasei 27-2 strains engineered to express pTFF3 and pEGF represent a promising approach for augmenting intestinal epithelial cell function and facilitating mucosal restitution, and they possess significant potential in the treatment of intestinal mucosal injury and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is an acute and highly infectious disease, resulting in substantial economic losses in the pig industry. Given that PEDV primarily infects the mucosal surfaces of the intestinal tract, it is crucial to improve the mucosal immunity to prevent viral invasion. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) oral vaccines offer unique advantages and potential applications in combatting mucosal infectious diseases, making them an ideal approach for controlling PED outbreaks. However, traditional LAB oral vaccines use plasmids for exogenous protein expression and antibiotic genes as selection markers. Antibiotic genes can be diffused through transposition, transfer, or homologous recombination, resulting in the generation of drug-resistant strains. To overcome these issues, genome-editing technology has been developed to achieve gene expression in LAB genomes. In this study, we used the CRISPR-NCas9 system to integrate the PEDV S1 gene into the genome of alanine racemase-deficient Lactobacillus paracasei △Alr HLJ-27 (L. paracasei △Alr HLJ-27) at the thymidylate synthase (thyA) site, generating a strain, S1/△Alr HLJ-27. We conducted immunization assays in mice and piglets to evaluate the level of immune response and evaluated its protective effect against PEDV through challenge tests in piglets. Oral administration of the strain S1/△Alr HLJ-27 in mice and piglets elicited mucosal, humoral, and cellular immune responses. The strain also exhibited a certain level of resistance against PEDV infection in piglets. These results demonstrate the potential of S1/△Alr HLJ-27 as an oral vaccine candidate for PEDV control. Key points: • A strain S1/△Alr HLJ-27 was constructed as the candidate for an oral vaccine. • Immunogenicity response and challenge test was carried out to analyze the ability of the strain. • The strain S1/△Alr HLJ-27 could provide protection for piglets to a certain extent.