Nanometric Lactobacillus plantarum (nLp) is a processed form of Lab. plantarum derived from kimchi and is 0.5-1.0 μm in size. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of nLp and kimchi plus nLp (K-nLp) on a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model of colitis. Animals fed nLp or K-nLp had longer colons, but lower colon weights per unit length than DSS controls. In addition, nLp- or K-nLp-fed animals showed lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines and inflammatory genes in serum and in colon tissues, lower populations of total bacteria, but higher populations of lactic acid bacteria in feces, and lower activities of fecal β-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase. Furthermore, these suppressive activities of nLp on colitis were equivalent to or higher than those of naive Lab. plantarum. Consequently, nLp was found to exhibit anticolitic effects, and the addition of nLp to kimchi was found to enhance the protective activity of kimchi against DSS-induced colitis. These results suggest that nLp might be an effective substitute for live probiotics and be useful as a functional ingredient with the anticolitic activity by the probiotic and food processing industries.

This study was undertaken to evaluate enhancement of the chemopreventive properties of kimchi by dietary nanosized Lactobacillus (Lab.)plantarum (nLp) in an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis-associated colorectal cancer C57BL/6J mouse model. nLp is a dead, shrunken, processed form of Lab. Plantarum isolated from kimchi that is 0.5-1.0 µm in size. The results obtained showed that animals fed kimchi with nLp (K-nLp) had longer colons and lower colon weights/length ratios and developed fewer tumors than mice fed kimchi alone (K). In addition, K-nLp administration reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokine serum levels and mediated the mRNA and protein expressions of inflammatory, apoptotic, and cell-cycle markers to suppress inflammation and induce tumor-cell apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest. Moreover, it elevated natural killer-cell cytotoxicity. The study suggests adding nLp to kimchi could improve the suppressive effect of kimchi on AOM/DSS-induced colorectal cancer. These findings indicate nLp has potential use as a functional chemopreventive ingredient in the food industry.