Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41652546›Full record

ArticleBMC microbiology2026

Prophylactic oral Limosilactobacillus fermentum DSM 34872 protects Galleria mellonella from gut-associated pathogens.

Antonio Guarnieri, Noemi Venditti, Natasha Brancazio, Farwa Mukhtar, Marilina Falcone, Addis Temie Worku, Maria Di Naro, Giovanni Scapagnini, Giulio Petronio Petronio, Roberto Di Marco

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Antonio GuarnieriUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3949-4143
Noemi VendittiUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4952-1889
Natasha BrancazioUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0009-0001-2203-3327
Farwa MukhtarUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9856-9606
Marilina FalconeUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0009-0009-7277-1377
Addis Temie WorkuUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4302-964X
Maria Di NaroUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0009-0002-0116-0308
Giovanni ScapagniniUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-1592-5586
Giulio Petronio PetronioUniversità Degli Studi del Molise Department of Medicina E Scienze Della Salute "V. Tiberio, 86100, Campobasso, Molise, Italy. giulio.petroniopetronio@unimol.it.ORCID 0000-0002-5098-7785
Roberto Di MarcoDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Catania, 95125, Catania, Sicily, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5075-4597

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLactic acid bacteria are increasingly being studied for their immunomodulatory activity and protective effects against pathogens. Limosilactobacillus fermentum DSM 34872, isolated from human breast milk, was evaluated for its prophylactic potential using Galleria mellonella as an alternative preclinical model. Results: The antimicrobial activity of L. fermentum against Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium or Enterococcus faecalis was first assessed in vitro by the overlay assay. In vivo, G. mellonella larvae were orally administered with L. fermentum via gavage and exposed to pathogens. Survival rates, melanization score, and expression of immune-related genes (dorsal, relish, gallerimycin, gloverin) were evaluated in both the gut and hemolymph using RT-qPCR at 4 and 24 h after infection.

conclusionL. fermentum showed antibacterial activity in vitro. In vivo, pre-treatment with L. fermentum significantly increased survival and delayed mortality. The melanization score supported the in vivo survival results. Gene expression analysis revealed modulation of key immune markers in both the gut and hemolymph, suggesting controlled immune activation rather than hyperinflammation in L. fermentum pretreated groups. Prophylactic oral administration of L. fermentum protected against lethal bacterial infections in G. mellonella, altering both local and systemic immune responses. These results highlight the potential of L. fermentum as a promising candidate for future in vivo analyses and confirm G. mellonella as an ethical, economical, and reliable preclinical model for preliminary screening, with the aim of subsequent evaluations in accredited clinical models.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal TractLimosilactobacillus fermentumMothsProbioticsAdministration, OralAnimalsEnterococcus faecalisHemolymphHumansLarvaSalmonella typhimuriumAntimicrobial peptides3Galleria mellonella 1Host–pathogen interaction5Innate immunity8Lactic Acid Bacteria4Limosilactobacillus fermentum 2Oral administration model6Prophylactic potential7

Identifiers

PMID41652546
PMCPMC12973918

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.