Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and hence, reducing serum cholesterol levels could reduce the incidence. In this study, we ascertained the cholesterol-reducing potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Korean fermented soybean paste. Live, resting, and dead cells of all the bacteria reduced cholesterol in liquid media in a strain-dependent manner. Live cells of Weissella cibaria SCCB2306, Pediococcus acidilactici SDL1402, P. acidilactici SDL1406, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus JDFM6 reduced the most cholesterol in liquid media by 78 ± 3%, 72 ± 3%, 76 ± 3%, 75 ± 5%, and 79 ± 2%, respectively. As the cholesterol levels in the media reduced, cell membrane lipids of P. acidilactici SDL1402, P. acidilactici SDL1406, and L. rhamnosus JDFM6 increased by 23.36 mg/mL, 6.53 mg/mL, and 8.14 mg/mL, respectively, indicating that cholesterol was incorporated into the bacteria cell membranes. All the bacteria displayed bile salt hydrolase activities in a strain-dependent manner. Though all four LAB significantly reduced cholesterol levels in Caenorhabditis elegans irrespective of the order of feeding, L. rhamnosus JDFM6 reduced the most cholesterol in vivo (up to 40% of ingested cholesterol). None of the four LAB hydrolyzed mucin or gelatin and none was toxic to C. elegans. The concentrations of phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine produced by the LAB were below the toxic limits of biogenic amines set by the European Food Safety Authority. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Weissella cibaria SCCB2306, P. acidilactici SDL1402, P. acidilactici SDL1405, and L. rhamnosus JDFM6 could be safe cholesterol-reducing probiotic candidates for preventing or managing hypercholesterolemia.

高胆固醇血症是心血管疾病的危险因素，因此降低血清胆固醇水平可以降低发病率。在这项研究中，我们确定了从韩国发酵豆酱中分离出的乳酸菌 (LAB) 的降胆固醇潜力。所有细菌的活细胞、静止细胞和死细胞都以菌株依赖性方式降低了液体培养基中的胆固醇。Weissella cibaria SCCB2306、Pediococcus acidilactici SDL1402、P. acidilactici SDL1406 和Lactobacillus rhamnosus JDFM6 的活细胞将液体培养基中的大部分胆固醇降低了 78 ± 3%、72 ± 3%、76 ± 3%、75 ± 5% 和 79 ± 2%，分别。随着培养基中胆固醇水平的降低，乳酸乳酸杆菌的细胞膜脂质SDL1402、P. acidilactici SDL1406 和L. rhamnosus JDFM6 分别增加了 23.36 mg/mL、6.53 mg/mL 和 8.14 mg/mL，表明胆固醇被掺入细菌细胞膜中。所有细菌都以菌株依赖性方式显示胆汁盐水解酶活性。尽管无论喂食顺序如何，所有四种 LAB 都显着降低了秀丽隐杆线虫的胆固醇水平，但鼠李糖乳杆菌JDFM6 在体内降低了最多的胆固醇（高达 40% 的摄入胆固醇）。四种 LAB 水解粘蛋白或明胶中没有一种对秀丽隐杆线虫有毒. 实验室生产的苯乙胺、腐胺、尸胺、组胺和酪胺的浓度低于欧洲食品安全局规定的生物胺的毒性限值。总之，我们的研究结果表明，Weissella cibaria SCCB2306、P. acidilactici SDL1402、P. acidilactici SDL1405 和L. rhamnosus JDFM6 可能是预防或控制高胆固醇血症的安全降胆固醇益生菌候选物。