Characterization and evaluation of the cholesterol-lowering ability of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HJ-S2 isolated from the intestine of Mesoplodon densirostris.

In this study, ten strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the intestine of Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris),and their cholesterol-lowering activities in vitro and in vivo were investigated. The among these strains, HJ-S2 strain, which identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, showed a high in vitro cholesterol-lowering rate (48.82%). Strain HJ-S2 was resistant to acid and bile salts, with a gastrointestinal survival rate of more than 80%, but was sensitive to antibiotics. Strain HJ-S2 was found to be able to adhere to HT-29 cells in an adhesion test. The number of cell adhesion was 132.52. In addition, we also performed the cholesterol-lowering activities in vivo using high-fat diet feed mouse models. Our results indicated that HJ-S2 reduced total cholesterol (TC), total glycerol (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels while increasing the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) level. It also alleviated the lipid accumulation in high-fat diet feed mouse liver and pancreas. Hence, HJ-S2 demonstrated appropriate cholesterol-lowering ability and has the potential to be used as a probiotic in functional foods.