Multifaceted Analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum DMR14 Reveals Promising Antidiabetic Properties Through In Vivo Assays and Molecular Simulations

Abstract

Due to the growing concern about diabetes worldwide, we investigated the antidiabetic potential of Lactobacillus plantarum DMR14, assessing its effects on the diabetic mice and identifying safe, bioactive compounds targeting DPP4 protein for drug development through various methods, including in vivo assays, GC–MS analysis and molecular docking simulations. The animal experiments showed that after 3 weeks of treatment, the blood sugar levels of mice given the bacteria were reduced by 35.03% compared to baseline. The treatment also significantly lowered blood lipids such as triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, but did not affect HDL cholesterol levels. Additionally, we identified three compounds that effectively targeted a protein (DPP4) involved in diabetes (PDB ID: 4A5S). These compounds were predicted to be safe for absorption, processing and elimination by the body, and showed no signs of inducing cancer in computer simulations. Further simulations indicated that these compounds bind stably to the protein over time. Diabetic mice treated with Lactobacillus plantarum DMR14 exhibited improved organ health, reduced glucose levels and better metabolic markers. Computer analysis suggested compounds that could enhance enzyme inhibition, indicating potential antidiabetic properties in this strain. These suggested compounds could be considered potential candidates for developing antidiabetic drugs.