Modulation of the TNFα-induced gene expression profile of intestinal epithelial cells by soy fermented with lactic acid bacteria

• Starter culture-dependent modulation of transcriptional profiles of TNFα-stimulated human IECs by soy ferments.
• Down-regulation of 33 TNFα-induced genes by soy fermented with L. helveticus R0052 and S. thermophilus R0083 (SF-Lh).
• SF-Lh may reduce TNFα-induced gene expression associated with the NF-κB pathway by inducing hydrogen peroxide.

The effect of soy ferments on gene expression induced by the proinflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) at the intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) level was evaluated. Microarray-based transcriptional analysis revealed that soy fermented with Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Streptococcus thermophilus R0083 (SF-Lh) down-regulated 33 of 40 proinflammatory genes up-regulated by TNFα in HT-29 IEC, attenuating expression of genes encoding several proinflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecules. TNFα-mediated activation of gene expression associated with the NF-κB pathway was also repressed, as was Interleukin-8 (IL-8) production. In contrast, soy fermented with Bifidobacterium longum R0175 and S. thermophilus R0083 (SF-Bl) up-regulated expression of three proinflammatory genes induced by TNFα. Increased intracellular levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were detected in HT-29 IEC following incubation with SF-Lh. These results indicate that SF-Lh has immunomodulatory activity through reduction of proinflammatory gene expression at the IEC level.