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Probiotics are not only beneficial for gut health but may also be effective in alleviating nutritional deficiencies and supporting overall health by directly generating essential vitamins for the body.

In this study, we selected L. plantarum  HY7715, a kimchi-derived probiotic with excellent vitamin B2 (riboflavin) production capability, and analyzed its genetic mechanisms and its efficacy in deficiency models.

The results demonstrated the following functional properties of HY7715:

• Exceptional vitamin B2 production ability: Produced high concentrations (34.5±2.41 mg/L) of riboflavin within 24 hours with strong expression of the core gene group (ribA, B, C, H, G) involved in vitamin B2 synthesis
• Source of intestinal vitamins: Demonstrated stable riboflavin production even in simulated gut conditions, confirming its role as an internal vitamin source
• Recovery from deficiency: Significantly increased riboflavin levels in plasma and urine in vitamin B2-deficient mouse models compared to controls
• Excellent intestinal survival rate: Demonstrated a high survival rate even under harsh gastrointestinal conditions and reached the intestines effectively
• Thorough safety verification: Confirmed to be a safe strain that meets antibiotic resistance criteria (EFSA guidelines) and does not exhibit hemolysis

Analysis based on cell and animal studies demonstrated that HY7715 functions beyond a typical probiotic by producing vitamins directly in the gut and acts as an innovative “vitamin factory” to help address modern nutritional imbalances.

Probiotics are not only beneficial for gut health but may also be effective in preserving muscle mass and strength that decline with aging and in improving physical exercise performance.

In this study, we analyzed the effects of L. plantarum HY7715 derived from kimchi on skeletal muscle mass and physical activity capacity in an 80-week-old aged rat model.

The results demonstrated the following functional properties of HY7715:

• Increase in skeletal muscle mass and exercise capacity: Preserved muscle mass, which declines with aging, and significantly improved overall physical performance
• Promotion of muscle cell differentiation: Induced the differentiation of myoblasts, a type of muscle cell, to aid in the regeneration and maintenance of muscle tissue
• Activation of mitochondrial biogenesis: Promoted the efficiency of muscle energy metabolism by promoting the generation of mitochondria, an intracellular energy factory
• Inhibition of the sarcopenic process: Directly suppressed the sarcopenic process occurring in skeletal muscles
• Restoration of the gut ecosystem: Restored the composition and diversity (beta diversity) of the gut microbiome altered by aging to a healthy state

Analysis based on animal experiments has demonstrated that HY7715 has strong potential as a “muscle probiotic” capable of suppressing age-related sarcopenia and improving muscle function.

Probiotics play an important role as “ecosystem builders” beyond simply residing in the gut by producing beneficial metabolites (postbiotics) and supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

In this study, we analyzed how L. plantarum  HY7715 interacts with gut microbiota and produces metabolites compared to a control strain by using a simulated gut system (SGS).

The results demonstrated the following functional properties of HY7715:

• Increased butyrate production: Significantly elevated levels of butyrate, a key short-chain fatty acid that protects the intestinal barrier and suppresses inflammation compared to the control strain
• Sustained production of riboflavin (vitamin B2): Unlike the control strain, it continuously produced vitamin B2 in the ascending colon even during the washout period after intake cessation
• Cross-feeding of beneficial bacteria: Riboflavin produced by HY7715 was correlated with the growth of butyrate-producing beneficial bacteria such as Blautia and Flavonifractor
• Enrichment of gut ecosystem: Demonstrated positive restructuring of gut microbiota composition and metabolic environment beyond simple growth in bacteria
• Outstanding colonization and metabolic capabilities: Confirmed its ability to remain metabolically active and improve the gut environment after gastrointestinal transit

Analysis based on a simulated gut system demonstrated that HY7715 not only produces vitamin B2 itself but also coexists with other beneficial microbes and acts as a “multi-player” probiotic that enriches the gut ecosystem.

Probiotics can be effective in counteracting age-related muscle loss by aiding muscle protein synthesis and strengthening the intestinal barrier, not only in their live state but also as heat-killed cells and their extracellular vesicles (EVs).

In this study, the effects of heat-treated L. plantarum  HY7715 and its **extracellular vesicles (EVs)** on muscle cells (C2C12) and intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2) were analyzed to confirm their efficacy from the perspective of the "gut-muscle axis."

The results demonstrated the following functional properties of **HY7715 postbiotics and derived EVs**:

• Promotion of muscle differentiation and regeneration: Improved muscle cell formation by upregulating muscle cell differentiation factors (Myf5, MYOG).
• Activation of energy metabolism (mitochondria): Increased muscle cell vitality by promoting the expression of mitochondrial generation and activation proteins (PGC1, mTOR)
• Inhibition of muscle atrophy: Protected against muscle loss by suppressing the expression of muscle atrophy-related markers (Fbox32, MuRF1, myostatin) during muscle atrophy caused by inflammatory mediators (TNF-alpha).
• Intestinal barrier strengthening and anti-inflammatory effects: Strengthened the intestinal barrier by increasing the expression of tight junctions (ZO-1, Occludin, etc.) and reduced inflammation caused by harmful substances (LPS).
• Regulation of the gut-muscle axis: Demonstrated potential as a safe postbiotic for the prevention of sarcopenia through multi-pathway actions, supported muscle regeneration and protected intestinal barrier health

Analysis based on cell experiments revealed that HY7715 postbiotic and its derivatives are next-generation postbiotic materials capable of simultaneously supporting gut health and muscle health, and have strong protective effects against muscle inflammation and atrophy.

Probiotics are not only beneficial for gut health but may also be effective as **"psychobiotics" that alleviate stress-induced anxiety and prevent damage to brain cells**.

This study investigated the protective effects of L. plantarum  HY7715 in stress-induced anxiety mouse models and neuronal models.

The results demonstrated the following functional properties of HY7715:

• Alleviation of anxiety-related behaviors: Significantly decreased anxiety-related behaviors in open field and maze tests, suggesting emotional stabilization effects
• Regulation of stress hormones: Alleviated physiological tension responses by lowering serum norepinephrine levels that surge due to stress
• Restoration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): Recovered BDNF expression in the hippocampus, which is important for memory and emotional regulation
• Neuroprotection and anti-inflammatory effects: Protected neurons in the hippocampus (CA1, CA3) by inhibiting inflammatory factors (NF-κB, IL-6) and apoptosis markers (BAX, Caspase-3) in brain tissue
• Maintenance of mitochondrial vitality: Maintained brain cell health by activating energy-regulating genes (SIRT1, mTOR) in brain cells and blocking the release of cytochrome c, which induces cell damage
• Next-generation psychobiotic potential: Demonstrated superior antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects compared to standard strains, showing its promise as a candidate for managing stress-related mental health conditions

Analysis based on animal and cell studies demonstrated that HY7715 has potent neuroprotective properties, helps protect the stress-prone brain environment, and alleviates anxiety by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis pathways.

The HY7715 strain has been improved to have resistance to roseoflavin, enabling it to biosynthesize high concentrations of vitamin B2 (riboflavin). With this capability, it is effective in preventing or mitigating riboflavin deficiency (ariboflavinosis) caused by vitamin B2 deficiency, such as angular stomatitis, stomatitis, glossitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and anemia, and also exhibits excellent antioxidant activity.

This invention demonstrates that the HY7715 strain helps prevent and improve fine dust-induced skin damage by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting skin cell death. These effects are achieved through the downregulation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which mediates toxic responses, and its associated enzyme CYP1A1 in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) exposed to fine dust containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The HY7715 strain increases the expression of MyoD, a key regulator of muscle cell differentiation, thereby promoting myogenesis and supporting muscle protein synthesis while inhibiting muscle protein degradation. By improving age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), muscle weakness, and fatigue, as well as exercise performance, it shows potential for use as an active ingredient in functional foods or pharmaceutical compositions for muscle health.

The HY7715 strain demonstrates efficacy in inhibiting corticosterone-induced neuronal cell death. Specifically, it increases the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the cell survival factor (RELA), while decreasing the expression of the apoptotic marker caspase-3, suggesting its potential utility in the prevention and treatment of cognitive impairments, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as depression.

The culture mixture of Lactobacillus casei HY2782 and Lactobacillus plantarum HY7715 increases the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, TJP-1, TJP-2, occludin) and mucin proteins (MUC2, MUC4) in intestinal epithelial cells more effectively compared to either strain used alone. This synergistic effect strengthens the intestinal barrier function, helps prevent or alleviate intestinal disorders such as leaky gut syndrome, and supports protection against the invasion of harmful bacteria in the gut.