Background: Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is a leading cause of viral myocarditis and is currently lacking specific pharmacological treatments, highlighting the critical need for therapeutic development. Icariin (ICA), a prenylated flavonol glycoside, was previously found to exhibit several pharmacological effects, but its potential to combat CVB3 remains uninvestigated. Purpose: This study aimed to elucidate the anti-CVB3 efficacy of ICA and elucidate its molecular mechanisms. Methods: CVB3-infected HeLa cells, H9C2 cells and neonate rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs) were selected as in vitro models, and were treated with ICA at 1 and 10 mu M. Additionally, BALB/c mice that were infected with CVB3 via intraperitoneal injection were chosen as in vivo model and were treated with ICA or ribavirin over 3 days. The effect of ICA against CVB3 was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, western blot, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and flow cytometry. Results: In this study, it was found that ICA is capable of reducing CVB3 viral load both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies suggested that ICA prevents cardiomyocyte apoptosis by attenuating the S100 calcium binding protein A6 (S100A6)/(3-catenin/c-Myc signaling pathway. Additionally, ICA inhibits the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1(3) and CXC motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2) in heart tissue, thereby mitigating CVB3-induced myocarditis. Moreover, ICA also regulates the immune response of CD4+ T, CD8+ T and Treg cells by changing the cells numbers in spleen tissue. Lastly, ICA can reduce the load of other enteroviruses (such as CVA6, CVA16 and EV71) in rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells as well. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that ICA provides significant protection against CVB3 infection by modulating the S100A6/(3-catenin/c-Myc signaling pathway, suggesting its potential use as a novel drug against CVB3 infection in clinical application.

Frequent viral infections leading to infectious disease outbreaks have become a significant global health concern. Fully elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the immune response against viral infections is crucial for epidemic prevention and control. The innate immune response, the host's primary defense against viral infection, plays a pivotal role and has become a breakthrough in research mechanisms. A component of the innate immune system, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are involved in inducing inflammatory responses to viral infections. Numerous DAMPs are released from virally infected cells, activating downstream signaling pathways via internal and external receptors on immune cells. This activation triggers immune responses and helps regulate viral host invasion. This review examines the immune regulatory mechanisms of various DAMPs, such as the S100 protein family, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and heat shock proteins, in various viral infections to provide a theoretical basis for designing novel antiviral drugs.

The fungi of the human microbiota play important roles in the nutritional metabolism and immunological balance of the host. Recently, research has increasingly emphasised the role of fungi in modulating inflammation in intestinal diseases and maintaining health in this environment. It is therefore necessary to understand more clearly the interactions and mechanisms of the microbiota/pathogen/host relationship and the resulting inflammatory processes, as well as to offer new insights into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer (CRC) and other intestinal pathologies. In this review, we comprehensively elucidate the fungal-associated pathogenic mechanisms of intestinal inflammation in IBD and related CRC, with an emphasis on three main aspects: the direct effects of fungi and their metabolites on the host, the indirect effects mediated by interactions with other intestinal microorganisms and the immune regulation of the host. Understanding these mechanisms will enable the development of innovative approaches based on the use of fungi from the resident human microbiota such as dietary interventions, fungal probiotics and faecal microbiota transplantation in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of intestinal diseases.

ABSTRACT Coxsackievirus group B3 (CVB3) belongs to the genus Enteroviruses of the family Picornaviridae and is the main pathogen underlying viral myocarditis (VMC). No specific therapeutic is available for this condition. Argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1) is a key enzyme in the urea cycle that converts citrulline and aspartic acid to argininosuccinate. Here, we found that CVB3 and its capsid protein VP2 inhibit the autophagic degradation of ASS1 and that CVB3 consumes citrulline to upregulate ASS1, triggers urea cycle metabolic reprogramming, and then activates macrophages to develop pro-inflammatory polarization, thereby promoting the occurrence and development of VMC. Conversely, citrulline supplementation to prevent depletion can downregulate ASS1, rescue macrophage polarization, and alleviate the pathogenicity of VMC. These findings provide a new perspective on the occurrence and development of VMC, revealing ASS1 as a potential new target for treating this disease. IMPORTANCE Viral myocarditis (VMC) is a common and potentially life-threatening myocardial inflammatory disease, most commonly caused by CVB3 infection. So far, the pathogenesis of VMC caused by CVB3 is mainly focused on two aspects: one is the direct myocardial injury caused by a large number of viral replication in the early stage of infection, and the other is the local immune cell infiltration and inflammatory damage of the myocardium in the adaptive immune response stage. There are few studies on the early innate immunity of CVB3 infection in myocardial tissue, but the appearance of macrophages in the early stage of CVB3 infection suggests that they can play a regulatory role as early innate immune response cells in myocardial tissue. Here, we discovered a possible new mechanism of VMC caused by CVB3, revealed new drug targets for anti-CVB3, and discovered the therapeutic potential of citrulline for VMC.

BACKGROUND:Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is a leading cause of viral myocarditis and is currently lacking specific pharmacological treatments, highlighting the critical need for therapeutic development. Icariin (ICA), a prenylated flavonol glycoside, was previously found to exhibit several pharmacological effects, but its potential to combat CVB3 remains uninvestigated. PURPOSE:This study aimed to elucidate the anti-CVB3 efficacy of ICA and elucidate its molecular mechanisms. METHODS:CVB3-infected HeLa cells, H9C2 cells and neonate rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs) were selected as in vitro models, and were treated with ICA at 1 and 10 μM. Additionally, BALB/c mice that were infected with CVB3 via intraperitoneal injection were chosen as in vivo model and were treated with ICA or ribavirin over 3 days. The effect of ICA against CVB3 was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, western blot, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and flow cytometry. RESULTS:In this study, it was found that ICA is capable of reducing CVB3 viral load both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies suggested that ICA prevents cardiomyocyte apoptosis by attenuating the S100 calcium binding protein A6 (S100A6)/β-catenin/c-Myc signaling pathway. Additionally, ICA inhibits the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and CXC motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2) in heart tissue, thereby mitigating CVB3-induced myocarditis. Moreover, ICA also regulates the immune response of CD4+ T, CD8+ T and Treg cells by changing the cells numbers in spleen tissue. Lastly, ICA can reduce the load of other enteroviruses (such as CVA6, CVA16 and EV71) in rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells as well. CONCLUSION:Our findings indicate that ICA provides significant protection against CVB3 infection by modulating the S100A6/β-catenin/c-Myc signaling pathway, suggesting its potential use as a novel drug against CVB3 infection in clinical application.

Helicobacter pylori causes globally prevalent infections that are highly related to chronic gastritis and even development of gastric carcinomas. With the increase of antibiotic resistance, scientists have begun to search for better vaccine design strategies to eradicate H. pylori colonization. However, while current strategies prefer to formulate vaccines with a single H. pylori antigen, their potential has not yet been fully realized. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are a potential platform since they could deliver multiple antigens. In this study, we engineered three crucial H. pylori antigen proteins (UreB, CagA, and VacA) onto the surface of OMVs derived from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) mutant strains using the hemoglobin protease (Hbp) autotransporter system. In various knockout strategies, we found that OMVs isolated from the ΔrfbP ΔfliC ΔfljB ΔompA mutants could cause distinct increases in immunoglobulin G (IgG) and A (IgA) levels and effectively trigger T helper 1- and 17-biased cellular immune responses, which perform a vital role in protecting against H. pylori. Next, OMVs derived from ΔrfbP ΔfliC ΔfljB ΔompA mutants were used as a vector to deliver different combinations of H. pylori antigens. The antibody and cytokine levels and challenge experiments in mice model indicated that co-delivering UreB and CagA could protect against H. pylori and antigen-specific T cell responses. In summary, OMVs derived from the S. Typhimurium ΔrfbP ΔfliC ΔfljB ΔompA mutant strain as the vector while importing H. pylori UreB and CagA as antigenic proteins using the Hbp autotransporter system would greatly benefit controlling H. pylori infection.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacterium widely used in food production. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is an important human pathogen associated with acute pancreatitis development, and no antiviral therapeutics or vaccines are approved to treat or prevent its infection. However, whether L. plantarum could inhibit CVB3 infection remains unclear. Here, L. plantarum FLPL05 showed antiviral activity against CVB3 infection in vivo and in vitro. Pretreatment with L. plantarum FLPL05 reduced serum amylase levels, CVB3 viral load in the pancreas, serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and macrophage infiltration in CVB3-infected mice. In mice, L. plantarum FLPL05 inhibited CVB3-induced pancreas apoptosis via the B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2)/BCL2-associated X protein (BAX)/caspase-3 (CASP3) signaling pathway. Furthermore, L. plantarum FLPL05 reduced CVB3 replication, protected cells from the cytopathic effect of CVB3 infection, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Moreover, L. plantarum FLPL05's exopolysaccharide (EPS) had activity against CVB3 in vitro, reducing the CVB3 titer and improving cell activity. Therefore, L. plantarum FLPL05 pretreatment improved CVB3-induced pancreatitis by partially reversing pancreatitis, which might be associated with EPS. Consequently, L. plantarum FLPL05 could be a potential probiotic with antiviral activity against CVB3.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral administration of probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum FLPL05 on the lifespan and intestinal barrier of aged mice. L. plantarum FLPL05 significantly prolonged the lifespan of naturally aged mice, maintained the integrity of intestinal mucosal barrier, and reduced the inflammation level. The analysis of intestinal microbiota revealed that L. plantarum FLPL05 increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and decreased the abundance of Bacteroides, accompanied by the increased proportions of Lactobacillus and Desulfovibrio in intestinal microbiota as well as the reduced proportions of Roseburia and Parabacteroides. The intestinal proteomics revealed that the oral administration of L. plantarum FLPL05 significantly upregulated the tight junction and simultaneously inhibited the expression of apoptotic-related proteins. The immunohistochemistry results also indicated that L. plantarum FLPL05 promoted the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin) and reduced the apoptosis of intestinal cells. In addition, L. plantarum FLPL05 and the fermented supernatant increased the activity of HT-29. L. plantarum FLPL05 prolonged the lifespan by improving the health of the intestinal tract after aging and may be a potential probiotic and nutritional supplement for the elderly people.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death, and there are few effective therapies for colon cancer. This study explored the use of coxsackievirus group B3 (CVB3) as an oncolytic virus for the treatment of colon cancer. In this study, we verified that CVB3 induces death of colon cancer cell lines by directly observing cell morphology and Western blot results, and observed the oncolytic effects of CVB3 by constructing an immunodeficient nude mice model. Our data show that CVB3 induces pyroptosis in colon cancer cell lines. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that CVB3 causes cleavage of gasdermin E (GSDME), but not gasdermin D (GSDMD), by activating caspase-3. This leads to production of GSDME N-termini and the development of pores in the plasma membrane, inducing pyroptosis of colon cancer cell lines. We also demonstrate that CVB3-induced pyroptosis is promoted by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, in vivo studies using immunodeficient nude mice revealed that intratumoral injection of CVB3 led to significant tumor regression. Our findings indicate that CVB3 has oncolytic activity in colon cancer cell lines via GSDME-mediated pyroptosis.

In this study, we found that it is possible to screen Lactobacillus strains that enhance the immune function of mice using HCT-8 cells. Lactobacillus were co-incubated with intestinal epithelial HCT-8 cells to detect and screen the strains that induced more interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the culture supernatant. Simultaneously, a mouse model of low immunity was established to administer the screened lactobacilli by gavage. After 4 weeks of continuous gavage, related cytokines in blood and immune cell indexes in organs were detected to comprehensively evaluate the feasibility of in vitro cell culture model for screening immune-enhancing strains. The content of IL-6 in the culture supernatant of HCT-8 cells induced by the three tested strains increased approximately 5, 8 and 15 fold compared with that of the control group. IL-6 content in serum of mice was significantly higher than that of the control group provided with cyclophosphamide (CTX). Lactobacillus paracasei ZLPC01 presented a higher ability to protect against the immune damage of CTX by decreasing the serum IgG level, increasing the transformation of mouse splenocytes, and the activity of NK cells. Furthermore, L. paracasei ZLPC01 increased cytokine content in serum (IL-6, IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ) and colon (IL-6 and TNF-α) in CTX-treated mice. Screening strains that enhance immunity via an in vitro cell-line is simple in operation, and the results are well correlated with those of animal experiments, which is feasible and effective in practice. In addition, L. paracasei ZLPC01 could have the potential to enhance the immunity of mice effectively through inducing intestinal cells to produce IL-6, TNF-α and other cytokines.

Background The incidence of invasive candidiasis is increasing worldwide. However, the epidemiology, antifungal susceptibility, and virulence of Candida spp. in most hospitals remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate invasive candidiasis in a tertiary care hospital in Nanchang City, China. Methods MALDI-TOF MS and 18S rDNA ITS sequencing were used to identify Candida strains. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis was used for molecular typing; biofilm production, caseinase, and hemolysin activities were used to evaluate virulence. The Sensititre™ YeastOne YO10 panel was used to examine antifungal susceptibility. Mutations in ERG11 and the hotspot regions of FKS1 of drug-resistant strains were sequenced to evaluate the possible mechanisms of antifungal resistance. Results We obtained 110 Candida strains, which included 40 Candida albicans (36.36%), 37 C. parapsilosis (33.64%), 21 C. tropicalis (19.09%), 9 C. glabrata (8.18%), 2 C. rugose (1.82%), and 1 C. haemulonii (0.91%) isolates. At a limiting point of 0.80, C . albicans isolates could be grouped into five clusters, C . parapsilosis and C . tropicalis isolates into seven clusters, and C . glabrata isolates into only one cluster comprising six strains by RAPD typing. Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed that the isolates showed the greatest overall resistance against fluconazole (6.36%), followed by voriconazole (4.55%). All C . albicans and C . parapsilosis isolates exhibited 100% susceptibility to echinocandins (i.e., anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin), whereas one C . glabrata strain was resistant to echinocandins. The most common amino acid substitutions noted in our study was 132aa (Y132H, Y132F) in the azole-resistant strains. No missense mutation was identified in the hotpot regions of FKS1 . Comparison of the selected virulence factors detectable in a laboratory environment, such as biofilm, caseinase, and hemolysin production, revealed that most Candida isolates were caseinase and hemolysin producers with a strong activity (Pz < 0.69). Furthermore, C. parapsilosis had greater total biofilm biomass (average Abs 620 = 0.712) than C. albicans (average Abs 620 = 0.214, p < 0.01) or C. tropicalis (average Abs 620 = 0.450, p < 0.05), although all C. glabrata strains were either low- or no-biofilm producers. The virulence level of the isolates from different specimen sources or clusters showed no obvious correlation. Interesting, 75% of the C. albicans from cluster F demonstrated azole resistance, whereas two azole-resistant C. tropicalis strains belonged to the cluster Y. Conclusion This study provides vital information regarding the epidemiology, pathogenicity, and antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. in patients admitted to Nanchang City Hospital.

This study used bifidobacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) from the selected strains of Bifidobacterium bifidum WBBI01 and WBIN03, Bifidobacterium breve WBBR04, Bifidobacterium infantis WBAN07 and Bifidobacterium longum WBLO01 to explore the EPSs regulatory effect on anaphylaxis in mice. First of all, allergy mouse models were established via subcutaneous injection followed by OVA gavage, and then the EPSs from the five Bifidobacteria were fed into the mice via continuous gavage. Samples were taken from the mice periodically to determine the changes of cytokine levels in serum, including those of IgE, IgG, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and INF-γ. The test revealed that the EPSs from B. breve WBBR04 could considerably relieve food allergy in the mouse models, but the effect of B. infantis WBAN07 was unsatisfactory. Based on the above conclusions, the EPSs of B. bifidum WBBR04 and WBIN03, B. breve WBBR04, and B. longum WBLO01 were respectively incubated with the small intestine tissue sections of an allergic mouse model. The resulting culture supernatants were then tested. Based on the above, it can be concluded that EPS of B. breve WBBR04 can enhance the intestinal barrier integrity by attaching themselves onto the inner walls of the small intestine, hence effectively isolating the allergens and preventing food allergy.

In this study, we found that the antioxidant activity of Bifidobacterium bifidum WBBI03 and Listeria monocytogenes CMCC 54001 was increased after co-incubation. Therefore, the molecular mechanism of enhancing antioxidant activity was explored through isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). Analysis of differentially expressed proteins revealed increased expression of a series of antioxidant-related proteins, including glutaredoxin and thioredoxin in B. bifidum WBBI03, and universal stress protein UspA and aldo/keto reductase in L. monocytogenes CMCC 54001. Based on previous studies, certain antioxidant genes were selected for fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis to find out transcriptionally up-regulated genes. It was also detected that superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) enzyme activities increased after interaction of the two strains. These results may partially explain the improved survival of B. bifidum WBBI03 and L. monocytogenes CMCC 54001 after interaction in strong oxidizing environments containing hydrogen peroxide or cumene hydroperoxide (CHP). It is speculated that L. monocytogenes (a representative opportunistic pathogenic bacterium) may help B. bifidum (a representative probiotic bacterium) to resist damages caused by oxygen species in the gastrointestinal tract, which may part of the biological significance of its presence in the intestinal microbial ecosystem.

Antioxidant activity is one of the important probiotic characteristics for lactic acid bacteria including Lactobacillus plantarum, which is used for food fermentation or as a probiotic supplement. L. plantarum FLPL05 is a novel strain originally isolated from a healthy elderly individual of longevity. The organism has been demonstrated to exhibit high antioxidant property. However, there are limited genomic insights into the antioxidant properties of this organism. In this study, we performed whole-genome analysis regarding its antioxidant property. L. plantarum FLPL05 exhibited higher antioxidant activity compared with that of L. plantarum strains ATCC14917, ATCC8014, and WCFS1. The antioxidant capacity of L. plantarum FLPL05 was genetically linked to its antioxidant system, i.e., glutathione and thioredoxin involved in global regulation of defense against hydrogen peroxide challenge. L. plantarum FLPL05 was further examined for its antioxidant potential in D-Gal-induced aging mice and exhibited a significant increase in the activity of serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and a decrease in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, our analyses exhibited a complete gene cluster including plnA, plnB, plnC, plnD, plnE, plnF, plnG, plnH, plnI, plnJ, plnK, plnM, plnN, plnO, plnP, plnQ, plnST, plnU, plnV, plnW, plnX, and plnY for production of bacteriocin. Our results suggest that L. plantarum FLPL05 could be a probiotic candidate.

In this study, Bifidobacterium bifidum WBBI03 and Listeria monocytogenes CMCC 54001 were selected to detect the changes in their growth pattern after mutual interaction between them. The proteomic changes after the interaction between the 2 bacteria were detected by the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation method. The proteins related to the biosynthesis and cell reproduction were selected, and their changes at the transcriptional level were monitored by fluorescent quantitative PCR. Also, 3 other types of probiotic organisms and opportunistic pathogens were used to verify the results mentioned above. The results showed that growing the 2 organisms together could promote the growth of each other, resulting in earlier entry into the logarithmic phase. The results also showed that the expression of these proteins mostly tended to be upregulated at the translational and transcriptional level. The increase in the expression of these proteins might help promote the growth and reproduction of B. bifidum WBBI03 and L. monocytogenes CMCC 54001. One aspect of the biological significance of their presence in the normal intestine may be that the opportunistic pathogens promote the growth of the probiotics.

Gaotian, one typical conservative village in rural area of South China, is differentiated from other adjacent village for its longevity and health situation of residents. To ascertain the difference of intestinal microbial community between Gaotian and other region, high-throughput sequencing and systematical bioinformation analyses was adopted to compare 21 samples in long life group with 28 in control group. The α diversity showed that the diversity of species of intestinal flora of Gaotian villagers was higher than that of control group, while the β diversity showed that the similarity of intestinal flora for Gaotian residents was also much higher than that of control group. OTU cluster analysis and Venn diagram showed that the intestinal microbial community of Gaotian villagers is different from that of control group. To quantitatively compare the main flora constitution in all samples, real-time PCR was performed, and the results showed that the biomass of Enterococcus , Lactobacillus , Enterobacteriaceae , Clostridium perfringens , and Bacteroides of Gaotian villages is generally significantly higher than that of control group. Remarkably, some special species, i.e., Methanobacterium , Butyricimonas , Deinococcus , and Streptococcaceae , have been found in Gaotian villagers. Overall, this study lays a preparatory basis for exploration of the resources of special species from healthy and long-living elderly Gaotian villagers and for proposal of a hypothesis, namely, the diversity in intestinal flora of Gaotian might contribute to the longevity and health of local residents. Further study should be focused on screening and functional evaluation of the special species in the long-life residents.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the viability and gene expression relating to probiotic functionality of encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum CCTCC M 2014170 during freeze-drying. Sodium alginate with or without inulin was applied as an inner layer and skim milk was used as an outer layer for coating sodium alginate particles. The results indicated that skim milk coated inulin-sodium alginate (ISA) encapsulation beads improved the survival of L. plantarum during exposure to adverse environment. The viability of L plantarum from ISA encapsulation beads did not change after 2 h incubation in simulant gastric fluid (SGF). In 1% bile salt solution, the L. plantarum from ISA encapsulation beads only had 1.21 log CFU/mL reduction after 2 h treatment. After 7 weeks storage, the survival rate of L. plantarum was 20.89%, which showed reduction from 8.52 to 7.84 log CFU/mL. In addition, all genes relating to probiotic functionality of L. plantarum were similarly but not significantly up-regulated except the plnEF, which exhibited the highest up-regulation at more than 17-fold increase. This study indicated that encapsulation with alginate and skim milk in the presence of inulin before freeze-drying protected and improved the probiotic functionality of L plantarum from the adverse freeze drying environment. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Twelve isolates isolated from the gastrointestinal tracts of Gaotian villagers in China, who had a lifespan of 92 yr, were examined for their antioxidants using free radical scavenging activity and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Three strains (i.e., Lactobacillus mucosae LMU1001, and Lactobacillus plantarum LPL0902 and LPL0302) were selected as candidates to prepare yogurt for testing their antioxidants in a model of d-galactose-induced aging mice, with vitamin C as a positive control. The results showed that L. mucosae LMU1001 was the best strain, which had similar in vivo antioxidant activity as vitamin C. A significant increase was found in the activities of glutathione peroxidase in serum and total superoxide dismutase in the liver, and a decrease in the level of malondialdehyde in serum. Regarding mRNA expression level detected quantitatively by real-time PCR, we observed that L. mucosae LMU1001 significantly upregulated antioxidant genes (i.e., MT1A and MT1M in HT-29 and Caco-2) and those genes (i.e., MT1, MT2, GPx1, and GPx2) in the intestinal tract of the model mice. Hence, this strain could be considered as a potential probiotic lactic acid bacterium for improving antioxidant levels in functional foods.