Interactions between probiotic dairy propionibacteria and the intestinal epithelium

Abstract

Dairy propionibacteria are gram positive, aerotolerant and mesophilic bacteria found in dairy products, and in diverse habitats such as soil, plants, and digestive tracts of ruminants. They are essential as ripening culture in the manufacture of Emmental cheese and other types of Swiss cheeses so they are consequently ingested in high amounts by the consumers. Dairy propionibacteria are also considered for their probiotic use. Indeed, they are species with low nutritional requirements, and with high adaptability and tolerance toward stresses, including acid and bile salts. Some strains (species) were shown to survive in the human gut, where they may have health-promoting effects. In this review, we summarize the knowledge on the interactions between probiotic dairy bacteria and the intestinal epithelium. We focus on the metabolites that are likely to play a probiotic role in the colon, as well as propionibacteria adhesion to intestinal mucus and epithelial cells. Then, among the probiotic potentialities, the immunomodulatory properties of dairy propionibacteria are given detail in.