PARABIOTICS

Artículos científicos

• Goyache I, Yavorov-Dayliev D, Milagro FI, Aranaz P. Caenorhabditis elegans as a Screening Model for Probiotics with Properties against Metabolic Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jan 22;25(2):1321.
• Goyache, I.; Valdés-Varela, L.; Virto, R.; López-Yoldi, M.; López-Giral, N.; Sánchez-Vicente, A.; Milagro, F.I.; Aranaz, P. Anti-Obesity Properties of a Novel Probiotic Strain of Latilactobacillus sakei CNTA 173 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26, 3286.
• Alonso-Allende J, Milagro FI, Aranaz P. Health Effects and Mechanisms of Inulin Action in Human Metabolism. Nutrients. 2024;16(17):2935. Published 2024 Sep 2.

Comunicaciones en congresos

• Presentación del trabajo titulado: Potencial probiótico y postbiótico de una nueva cepa de Companilactobacillus alimentarius frente a obesidad (P-18). Autores: I.
  Goyache, L. Valdés, M. López-Yoldi, AL. Rodas, R. Virto, F.I. Milagro y P. Aranaz. Congreso: Sociedad Española de Microbiota Probióticos y Prebióticos.
  Lugar y fecha: Barcelona, 19-21/02/2025. Información web
• Presentación del trabajo titulado: A novel postbiotic form of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ameliorates excessive fat accumulation in obese mice. Autores: F.I. Milagro, I. Goyache, M. López-Yoldi, L. Valdés, AL. Rodas, R. Virto, y P. Aranaz. Congreso: International Congress of Nutrition (IUNS-ICÑ 2025). Lugar y fecha: París, 24-29/08/2025. Información web
• Presentación del trabajo titulado: In vivo anti-obesity properties of a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum probiotic strain (GC1.077). Autores: Ignacio Goyache, Miguel López Yoldi, Lorena Valdés, Raquel Virto, Fermín Mialgro, Paula Aranaz. Congreso: 31st European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2024). Lugar y fecha: Venecia, 12-15/05/2024 Información web
• Póster en congreso científico titulado: Anti-obesity properties of Latilactobacillus sakei in C. elegans and diet induced obese Wistar rat models. Autores: Ignacio Goyache et al. Congreso: Federation of European Nutrition Societies (FENS). Serbia. 14-17/11/2023.
• Novel Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus alimentarius strains reduce fat accumulation and improve health markers on a C. elegans model. Autores: Ignacio Goyache et al. 20th MEETING OF THE CONSORTIUM FOR TRANS-PYRENEAN INVESTIGATIONS IN OBESITY & DIABETES (CTPIOD). Lugar y fecha: Bordeaux, France. 16-17/10/2023.
• Presentación oral titulada: Anti-obesity properties of the probiotic and postbiotic forms of a Lactiplantibacillus sp. Strain. Autores: Ignacio Goyache. Congreso: 21st MEETING OF THE CONSORTIUM FOR TRANS-PYRENEAN INVESTIGATIONS IN OBESITY & DIABETES (CTPIOD). Lugar y fecha: Pamplona, 21-22/10/2024. Información web

The intestinal microbiota plays a fundamental role in host health. The microorganisms in our intestines affect the metabolising of nutrients, which influences metabolic aspects like fat storage, insulin sensitivity, and releasing hormones related with the appetite, among other things. Thus, a balanced microbiota (or eubiosis) contributes to maintaining energetic and metabolic homeostasis, while its alteration (known as dysbiosis) has been associated with disorders like obesity or type 2 diabetes, which are pathologies that affect a more and more sedentary population in a global way. Because of that, various research groups are trying to identify modulating agents in the microbiota with healthy metabolic properties that may be used for treating those diseases.

Along those lines, previous studies arising out of the collaboration between UNAV and CNTA have made it possible to identify three species of bacteria in the Lactobacillus genus as probiotic candidates with healthy properties, like being able to reduce excessive accumulation of body fat, improving glycaemia and cholesterol, or reducing hepatic steatosis.

Nevertheless, despite the health benefits, using live microorganisms as food supplements has certain limitations, including the possibility of transferring virulence genes, or developing antibiotic resistance, among other things. The PARABIOTICS project arose for that reason. It proposes the identification and functional characterisation of probiotic strains that, either in a deactivated way or through their metabolites (called postbiotics), can improve parameters related with obesity, like excess weight, adiposity, insulin resistance or inflammation, and thus replace the use of active (or probiotic) forms.

Thanks to the PARABIOTICS project, various deactivation methodologies for probiotic strains with healthy properties have been fine-tuned. The posterior functional evaluation using cell models and in vivo models (Caenorhabditis elegans and rodents with induced obesity), has made it possible to identify beneficial properties for the three strains, identifying some deactivation methods that are more effective than others. Subsequently, postbiotics have been obtained for two of the strains with properties that impede the accumulation of adipose tissue and inflammation, and help maintain glycaemia levels and improve cholesterol, among other things. In addition, the toxicological studies done in parallel have made it possible for us to know the safety of the inactive forms identified. The results obtained in the project lead us to develop at least one postbiotic agent with potential application as a therapy for obesity and related illnesses.