The probiotic [i]Propionibacterium freudenreichii[/i] as a new adjuvant for TRAIL-based therapy in colorectal cancer

Scope: TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis via the extrinsic death pathway in human colon cancer cells. Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) by contrast induce apoptosis of cancer cells via the intrinsic death pathway. We have previously shown that food-grade dairy propionibacteria induce intrinsic apoptosis of colon cancer cells, via SCFA metabolites (propionate and acetate) acting on mitochondria. We investigate here the possible synergistic pro-apoptotic effect between Propionibacterium freudenreichii and TRAIL. Methods and results: Whole transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that propionibacterial supernatant or propionibacterial SCFA, in combination with TRAIL, increased pro-apoptotic gene expression (TRAIL-R2/DR5) and decreased anti-apoptotic gene expression (FLIPL, XIAP) in HT29 human colon cancer cells. The revealed synergistic pro-apoptotic effect, depending on both death receptors (TRAIL-R1/DR4, TRAIL-R2/DR5) and caspases (caspase-8, -9 and -3) activation, was lethal on cancer cells but not on normal human intestinal epithelial cells (HIEC), and was inhibited by Bcl-2 expression. Finally, milk fermented by P. freudenreichii induced HT29 cells apoptosis and enhanced TRAIL cytotoxic activity, as did P. freudenreichii culture supernatants or its SCFA metabolites. Conclusion: The revealed synergy opens new applications for food-grade P. freudenreichii-containing products as new adjuvants to potentiate TRAIL-based cancer therapy in colorectal cancer.