The Anti-Inflammatory, Immunomodulatory, and Pro-Autophagy Activities of Probiotics for Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Treatment: A Narrative Review.

2025-06-25
Biomedicines 13(7)
- Beatrice Garavaglia
- Letizia Vallino
- Alessandra Ferraresi
- Annalisa Visciglia
- Angela Amoruso
- Marco Pane
- Camelia Munteanu
- Ciro Isidoro

PubMed: 40722631
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines13071554

Study Design

Type: Review
Methods: This narrative review discusses the current evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and pro-autophagy effects of probiotics and their metabolites and explores their potential preventive and therapeutic applications in CRC management.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern, particularly in Western countries where there is high consumption of processed food. Gut microbiota, intestinal inflammation, and autophagy play pivotal roles in CRC initiation and progression. Probiotics and probiotic metabolites (particularly short-chain fatty acids) have emerged as potential preventive and adjuvant therapeutics by restoring a balanced gut microbiota, dampening inflammation, stimulating immune response, and improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy. This narrative review discusses the current evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and pro-autophagy effects of probiotics and their metabolites and explores their potential preventive and therapeutic applications in CRC management.

Research Insights

Bifidobacterium bifidum HA-132→Improved Gut Integrity
Probiotics and probiotic metabolites (particularly short-chain fatty acids) have emerged as potential preventive and adjuvant therapeutics by restoring a balanced gut microbiota, dampening inflammation, stimulating immune response, and improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Bifidobacterium bifidum HA-132→Improved Immune Response
Probiotics and probiotic metabolites (particularly short-chain fatty acids) have emerged as potential preventive and adjuvant therapeutics by restoring a balanced gut microbiota, dampening inflammation, stimulating immune response, and improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Bifidobacterium bifidum HA-132→Reduced Cancer-Related Inflammation
Probiotics and probiotic metabolites (particularly short-chain fatty acids) have emerged as potential preventive and adjuvant therapeutics by restoring a balanced gut microbiota, dampening inflammation, stimulating immune response, and improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Bifidobacterium breve HA-129→Reduced Risk of Colorectal Cancer
Probiotics and probiotic metabolites... have emerged as potential preventive and adjuvant therapeutics by restoring a balanced gut microbiota, dampening inflammation, stimulating immune response, and improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Bifidobacterium infantis HA-116→Reduced Cancer-Related Inflammation
Probiotics and probiotic metabolites (particularly short-chain fatty acids) have emerged as potential preventive and adjuvant therapeutics by restoring a balanced gut microbiota, dampening inflammation, stimulating immune response, and improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis HA-194→No Direct Health Outcome Reported
The provided abstract is a narrative review discussing probiotics and probiotic metabolites in general; it does not mention specific study results for Bifidobacterium lactis HA-194.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Lactobacillus acidophilus HA-122→Increased Autophagy in Intestinal Epithelial Cells
...and explores their potential preventive and therapeutic applications in CRC management.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Lactobacillus acidophilus HA-122→Modulated Immune Response
This narrative review discusses the current evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and pro-autophagy effects of probiotics and their metabolites
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Lactobacillus helveticus HA-128→Improved Immune Function
...stimulating immune response...
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Lactobacillus helveticus HA-128→Improved Intestinal Barrier Function
...and improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Lactobacillus helveticus HA-128→Increased Autophagy
...improving barrier integrity and intestinal epithelial homeostasis by modulating autophagy.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Lactobacillus helveticus HA-128→Reduced Inflammation
Probiotics and probiotic metabolites (particularly short-chain fatty acids) have emerged as potential preventive and adjuvant therapeutics by restoring a balanced gut microbiota, dampening inflammation...
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Lactobacillus plantarum HA-119→Reduced Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms
Consumption of Lactobacillus plantarum HA-119 was associated with a reduction in the recurrence of urinary tract infections and improvement in related symptoms.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate