Structure and inflammatory activity of the LPS isolated from Acetobacter pasteurianus CIP103108.

Acetobacter pasteurianus is an acetic acid-producing Gram-negative bacterium commonly found associated with plants and plant products and widely used in the production of fermented foods, such as kefir and vinegar. Due to the acid conditions of the bacterium living habitat, uncommon structural features composing its cell envelope are expected. In the present work we have investigated the A. pasteurianus CIP103108 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure and immunoactivity. The structure of the lipid A and of two different O-polysaccharides was assessed. Furthermore, immunological studies with human cells showed a low immunostimulant activity of the isolated LPS, in addition to a slight capability to lower the NF-kB activation upon stimulation by toxic LPS.