Unraveling the probiotic evidence: how Lactobacillus pentosus from fermented vegetables alleviates colitis by enlisting muribaculum to boost host phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis.

Probiotic-based modulation of the intestinal microenvironment is a key therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Lactobacillus pentosus (Lbp), a dominant bacterium in fermented vegetables, exhibits strong potential for regulating gut homeostasis. This study found through database mining that the abundance of Lbp was significantly reduced in IBD patients. A superior Lbp strain was screened from fermented vegetables, and in a mouse model of colitis, oral administration of Lbp repaired the intestinal barrier and rebalanced inflammatory cytokines. Multi omics analysis revealed that Lbp substantially increased the abundance of the gut commensal Muribaculum and elevated the level of phosphatidylcholine (PC). Moreover, Muribaculum activated histidine metabolism, promoted methyl donor synthesis, and subsequently increased PC production through the methylation pathway. Together, this study uncovers a mechanism by which Lbp collaborates with Muribaculum to enhance host PC synthesis and repair the intestinal barrier, thereby alleviating colitis, and provides a new rationale for probiotic based IBD therapy.