LH R0052 alleviates DSS-induced colitis by modulating gut microbiota and exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and substantial clinical evidence suggested that probiotic supplementation appears to be effective and safe. Our study explored the protective effect of Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 (LH R0052) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC in mice and its potential mechanisms. The results indicated that, compared with the control group, DSS treatment significantly reduced body weight, shortened colon length, increased the UC disease activity index (DAI), exacerbated histological damage, induced inflammation and oxidative stress, disrupted the intestinal barrier, and caused dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and metabolic imbalance. On this basis, our study demonstrated that LH R0052 exerts protective effects against UC by improving the phenotypic presentation in mice, inhibiting the growth of harmful gut bacteria, modulating immune responses, protecting the intestinal barrier, and restoring the gut microbiota and metabolic homeostasis. In conclusion, this study suggests that LH R0052 can effectively alleviate DSS-induced UC and may be a promising probiotic for improving intestinal inflammation.