Limosilactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C exerts oncobiotic activity on human cancer cell lines

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered appropriately, can confer beneficial effects on the host. Limosilactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C, a probiotic strain isolated from the human stomach, has demonstrated the ability to inhibit Helicobacter pylori, a pathogen associated with gastric cancer. Recent studies have introduced the concept of "oncobiotics," referring to probiotics with anticancer properties. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of L. fermentum UCO-979C on human cancer cells. Our results revealed that the L. fermentum UCO-979C strain and its lysate exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against multiple tumor cell lines while demonstrating no cytotoxic effect on non-cancerous cells. Notably, gastrointestinal cancer cells displayed heightened sensitivity to the probiotic strain, showing a more significant decrease in cell viability compared to other tumor cells. These findings suggest that L. fermentumUCO-979C acts as an oncobiotic, specifically targeting gastrointestinal cancer cells. Understanding the cytotoxic mechanisms of L. fermentum UCO-979C on cancer cells holds promise for developing novel therapeutic strategies for gastrointestinal cancers. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying molecular pathways and evaluate the potential clinical applications of this probiotic strain in cancer treatment.