Anti-inflammatory and Anti-adipogenic Effects of Pediococcus pentosaceus TAP041 Under AGE-Associated Conditions.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) contribute to chronic inflammation and metabolic dysregulation and are closely associated with obesity-related disorders. Probiotics have emerged as promising functional agents capable of modulating immune and metabolic responses. In this study, the anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic effects of Pediococcus pentosaceus TAP041 were investigated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, with a particular focus on AGE-associated adipogenesis. Treatment with P. pentosaceus TAP041 attenuated LPS-induced responses in RAW264.7 macrophages, as evidenced by reduced nitric oxide production, downregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and interleukin-6, and concomitant upregulation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-10. These effects were associated with selective inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, whereas ERK and JNK signaling remained largely unaffected. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, P. pentosaceus TAP041 suppressed adipogenic differentiation and lipid accumulation, without inducing cytotoxicity. Co-treatment with P. pentosaceus TAP041 markedly attenuated N