<i>Bacillus licheniformis</i> Alleviates <i>Clostridium perfringens</i>-Induced Intestinal Injury in Mice Model by Modulating Inflammation, Apoptosis, and Cecal Microbial–Metabolic Responses
<i>Bacillus licheniformis</i> (<i>B. licheniformis</i>) is a probiotic known for its ability to enhance host resistance against pathogenic infections. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of <i>B. licheniformis</i> in a mou...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/10/1409 |
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| Summary: | <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i> (<i>B. licheniformis</i>) is a probiotic known for its ability to enhance host resistance against pathogenic infections. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of <i>B. licheniformis</i> in a mouse model challenged with <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> (<i>C. perfringens</i>). C57BL/6J mice were pretreated with <i>B. licheniformis</i> for 21 days before oral infection with <i>C. perfringens</i>. The probiotic administration significantly prevented infection-induced weight loss and immune organ enlargement. Serum cytokine analysis revealed that <i>B. licheniformis</i> increased anti-inflammatory IL-4 and IL-10 levels while reducing pro-inflammatory IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels. Histological analysis showed that <i>B. licheniformis</i> preserved intestinal morphology and inhibited epithelial cell apoptosis. Moreover, the probiotic mitigated the infection-induced decline in volatile fatty acid (VFA) production. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that <i>B. licheniformis</i> reshaped the cecal microbiota, characterized by the increased abundance of <i>Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group</i>, <i>Muribaculaceae</i>, and <i>Parabacteroides</i>, and reduced abundance of <i>Alistipes</i>. Untargeted metabolomic profiling identified differential metabolites—including D-glucono-1,5-lactone, D-erythrose 4-phosphate, and D-sedoheptulose 7-phosphate—enriched in the pentose phosphate pathway, suggesting a regulatory role in redox homeostasis and host response. Collectively, these results indicate that <i>B. licheniformis</i> exerts protective effects against <i>C. perfringens</i> infection by modulating inflammation, apoptosis, microbial composition, and metabolic pathways. This work provides new insights into the application of <i>B. licheniformis</i> as a functional microbial feed additive in livestock disease prevention. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2615 |