Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107 in goat milk matrix modulates intestinal inflammation involving NF-κB p65 and SOCs-1 in an acid-induced colitis model

[Display omitted] •Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107 in goat milk matrix modulates intestinal inflammation involving NF-κB p65 and SOCs-1.•Decreases proinflammatory cytokine levels and myeloperoxidase and improves colonic oxidative stress in colonic tissue.•The probiotic was effective in protecting the colonic cytoarchitecture.•Down-regulation of COX-2, iNOS and MMP-9 and IL-17.•Up-regulation of MUC-2 and ZO-1. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) is characterized by a deregulated immune response. Probiotics are able to modulate the intestinal microbiota and regulating inflammatory responses. This study evaluated the effect of pretreatment of Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107, isolated (EM1107) or added to goat cheese (LRC), on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats. EM1107 or LRC had a protective effect on intestinal inflammation, with the improvement of disease activity index and macroscopic damage caused by inflammation. It also reduced myeloperoxidase, TNF-α, IL-1β colonic levels and improved oxidative stress. The histological evaluation confirmed the beneficial effect in colonic tissue preservation. Intestinal immunohistochemical analysis revealed down-regulation of IL-17, NF-κB p65, MMP-2, MMP-9, and iNOS expression, up-regulation of SOCs-1, ZO-1 and MUC-2, which are important intestinal mucosal barrier proteins. These results suggest that Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107 alone or added to goat cheese exerts a preventive effect against acetic acid-induced damage and may be an alternative to human IBD.