Formulation and Evaluation of Liposome-Encapsulated Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum Postbiotics on Gluten-Induced Celiac Disease in Caco-2 Cells Via Reduction of Zonulin Secretion Publisher

Summary: Could bacterial postbiotics protect cells from gluten? Lab experiments found liposomal postbiotics reduced gluten-related damage and zonulin release. #CeliacDisease #Microbiome

Safari M ; Adabi M ; Mojgani N ; Pirnajafi F ; Amini M ; Sadeghzadeh M ; Khadem M ; Shahbazkhani B
Source: IET Nanobiotechnology Published:2026

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is a severe autoimmune disorder induced by gluten exposure and a complex interplay of environmental contributors and genetics. While a gluten-free diet (GFD) is the primary approach for managing CD, it is relatively costly, inconvenient, and challenging to follow. Recently, emerging studies have focused on pro-, pre-, and postbiotics, which have been demonstrated to break down gluten and provide a protective effect against the damage exerted by gluten. Thus, this study aimed to utilize postbiotic fractions obtained from the probiotic bacterium Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in the management of CD. The efficacy of the resulting postbiotic in both free and liposomal forms has been studied on the Caco-2 cell line as a model of CD. The particle size and Z potential of liposome-encapsulated postbiotic were assessed at about 289 ± 9.6 nm and −70.1 ± 3.8 mV, respectively. An encapsulation efficiency (EE, %) of 81.83 ± 3.2% and a sustained release profile were noted for the liposome-encapsulated postbiotic. The MTT assay was employed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of free and liposomal postbiotic on Caco-2 cells. The free and liposomal postbiotic demonstrated less toxicity than gliadin toward the investigated cell line. Importantly, cotreatment of free and liposomal postbiotics with gliadin remarkably reduced the toxic effects of gliadin. The findings of this research revealed that the evaluated postbiotic from L. plantarum, particularly in its liposomal form, can significantly reduce zonulin secretion and have a protective effect against gluten-induced damage. Copyright © 2026 Mojdeh Safari et al. IET Nanobiotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.