Survival and Interplay of γ-Aminobutyric Acid-Producing Psychobiotic Candidates with the Gut Microbiota in a Continuous Model of the Human Colon

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Appreciable evidence suggests that gut microbiota interact with the brain and play a key role in the pathogenesis of mental illnesses. Psychobiotics are beneficial bacteria (probiotics) or support for such bacteria (prebiotics) that can positively modulate microbiota–gut–brain interactions. Several trials suggest probiotics are involved in normalizing brain processes related to stress responses and mood improvements. Here, we studied the growth and competitiveness of recently identified GABA-producing psychobiotic candidates in a continuous model of the human colon. In summary, supplementation with these probiotic candidates positively modulated the gut microbiome composition and metabolism, suggesting their suitability for gut health-promoting applications. ABSTRACT: Over decades, probiotic research has focused on their benefits to gut health. Recently, the gut microbiota has been proven to share bidirectional connections with the brain through the gut–brain axis. Therefore, the manipulation of this axis via probiotics has garnered interest. We have recently isolated and characterized in vitro probiotic candidates producing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major neuromodulator of the enteric nervous system. This study investigates the growth and competitiveness of selected GABA-producing probiotic candidates (Bifidobacterium animalis, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) in the presence of human gut microbiota ex vivo in a model mimicking physiological and microbiological conditions of the human proximal colon. Supplementation with GABA-producing probiotic candidates did not affect the overall gut microbiota diversity over 48 h of treatment. However, these candidates modulated the microbiota composition, especially by increasing the Bacteroidetes population, a key gut microbe associated with anti-inflammatory activities. The level of microbiota-generated SCFAs within 12 h of treatment was also increased, compared to the control group. Results from this study demonstrate the probiotic potential of the tested GABA-producing bacteria and their impact on gut microbiota structure and metabolism, suggesting their suitability for gut health-promoting applications.