Table 1 Probiotic strains and their mechanism of action to enhance epithelial barrier

Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001

Encoding genes related to antioxidative capacity (ClpP, HslV, trxA, trxB, tpx, nox2, npr, aspB).

[16]

Maintaining epithelial integrity and preventing Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-induced gut permeability.

[6]

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SC06

Increasing the intestinal epithelial cell barrier and immune function by improving intestinal mucosa structure, tight junctions, and activating the TLRs signaling pathway.

[17]

Escherichia coli Nissle 1917

Regulating the expression of tight junction proteins in the intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) (upregulation and redistribution of the tight junction proteins ZO-1, ZO-2, and claudin-14).

[18]

Lactobacillus acidophilus Bifidobacteria bifidum Bifidobacteria infantum

Modulating the gut microbiota and reducing colon cancer. Decreasing tumor incidence, multiplicity/count, and volume via enhanced TLR2-improved gut mucosa epithelial barrier integrity and suppression of apoptosis and inflammation.

[19]

Clostridium butyricum

Attenuating bacteria-induced intestinal damage and increasing the expression level of muc-2 and ZO-1 in the intestine and intestinal epithelial cells.

[20]

Bifidobacterium infantis

Lactobacillus acidophilus

Protecting the intestinal barrier against IL-1β stimulation by normalizing the protein expression of occludin and claudin-1 and preventing IL-1β–induced NF-κB activation in Caco-2 cells, which may be partly responsible for the preservation of intestinal permeability.

[21]

Bacillus subtilis CW14

Treatment of Bacillus subtilis CW14 mitigates the tight junction injury by improving ZO-1 protein expression and reduced apoptosis s induced by ochratoxin A (OTA)

[22]

Protects the ZO-1 protein by activating the TLR signaling pathway and reduces OTA damage by down-regulating the death receptor genes and up-regulating the DNA repair genes.

Bifidobacterium bifidum

Strengthening of the intestinal epithelial tight junction prevents epithelial barrier disruption induced by TNF-α.

[23]

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

Protects the intestinal mucosa of rats from pepsin-trypsin-digested gliadin (PTG)-induced damage by preventing the reduction of the expression of the intercellular junction proteins.

[24]