Original Articles
Vol. 98 No. 2 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2025.13586
Effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum W1, inulin, and their combination against dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis via modulation of microRNA and gut microbiome
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 4 May 2025
Accepted: 5 March 2026
Published: 29 October 2025
Accepted: 5 March 2026
Published: 29 October 2025
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Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis (GIO) is a common secondary form of osteoporosis characterized by rapid bone loss. While probiotics and prebiotics modulate the gut microbiota and influence host metabolism, their specific impact on GIO and associated molecular mechanisms remain unexplored. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum W1 (LpW1) represents a promising probiotic with reported protective effect against different diseases. In this study, seventy Wistar rats were assigned to seven groups (n=10) as follows: Control (CON), L. plantarum W1 alone (Lp), inulin alone (In), dexamethasone alone (DX), (DX+Lp), (DX+In), and (DX+Lp+In). Treatments lasted for 12 weeks. Bone morphology, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, bone histopathology, expression of miRNA-29b and miRNA-133, and gut microbiota diversity were assessed. The co-treatment groups (DX+Lp, DX+In, DX+Lp+In) showed improved bone health, reduced alkaline phosphatase activity, and enhanced serum mineral levels. Inulin significantly reduced miRNA-29b and miRNA-133 expression compared to the DX group. The Lp, In, and DX+Lp+In groups showed improved gut microbial profiles with enhanced alpha and beta diversity, compared to DX group. We conclude that inulin, LpW1, and their combination mitigated the skeletal abnormalities induced by DX treatment. Remarkably, Inulin alone demonstrated strong protective effects, and the synbiotic formulation reduced DX-induced osteoporosis.
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Effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum W1, inulin, and their combination against dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis via modulation of microRNA and gut microbiome. (2025). Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino Della Società Italiana Di Biologia Sperimentale, 98(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2025.13586
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