Aims:The aim was to explore the probiotic and hypocholesterolaemic potential of two Levilactobacillus brevis strains of carnivore origin along with selected underlying mechanisms. Methods and Results: Levilactobacillus brevis MT950194 and L. brevis MW365351 were analysed in vitro for oro-gastro-intestinal stress tolerance, cholesterol reduction, cholesterol adsorption (through scanning electron microscopy) and bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity. Strains could survive (>80%) in oro-gastro-intestinal conditions and reduce high amount of cholesterol (35% and 54%) from media containing bile salts (0.3%) as compared with Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 and presented the least pathogenicity towards mammalian cells. Exopolysaccharide production, cell surface cholesterol adherence and BSH activity were witnessed as possible cholesterol-lowering mechanisms. In in vivo experiment, the treatments of hypercholesterolaemic rats with L. brevis MT950194, L. brevis MW365351 and their mixture led to significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum and hepatic cholesterol, low-density lipids, cholesterol ratio, liver steatosis and size of adipocytes. It further ameliorated diet-induced changes in hepatic enzymes. Conclusions: Levilactobacillus brevis MT950194 and L. brevis MW365351 from carnivores have probiotic pharmacological potential and can reduce serum cholesterol through surface adherence and BSH production. Significance and Impact of the Study: These strains may be utilized in treating hypercholesterolaemia and production of low-fat functional foods.

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Probiotics are known to possess strain and species-specific functional properties, of which hypocholesteremia is of major interest. Bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity is one of the key mechanism involved in hypocholesterolemic effect. The study was designed to genetically characterize probiotics from human milk on the basis of Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR), isolate potent hypocholesterolemic strains, detect BSH activity, deconjugation of bile salts and bsh polymorphism. Current study, for the first-time, linked genetic diversity with cholesterol reduction potential and prove presence of conserved bsh of Levilactobacillus brevis in genetically diverse species. The strains displayed 2.78–42.23% cholesterol reduction that was not influenced by prebiotics. Data of SSR markers used in study indicated 93.3% diversity and cluster analysis distributed them in XI clades, while out of five potent cholesterol-reducing strains, three belonged to clade I. The strains could deconjugate both Sodium glyco- and taurocholate but preferred Sodium glycocholate. The variation in cholesterol reduction potential and BSH activity pointed towards presence of more than one bsh in the strains. Weissella confusa MW051433 displayed highest cholesterol reduction (42.32%) and specific BSH activity (2.64 U ml−1). Search for other bsh and in vivo assessment of cholesterol reduction by W. confusa MW051433 have been proposed.

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