Anticancer Effects of Weizmannia coagulans MZY531 Postbiotics in CT26 Colorectal Tumor-Bearing Mice by Regulating Apoptosis and Autophagy

<i>Weizmannia coagulans</i> has been shown to have anticancer properties. However, there is limited research on the effects of postbiotic <i>W. coagulans</i> on colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Additionally, the exact mechanisms through which it influences apoptosis- and autophagy-related signaling pathways are yet to be thoroughly elucidated. This study explored the role of <i>W. coagulans</i> MZY531 as a postbiotic in inhibiting tumor growth by modulating apoptosis and autophagy in tumor cells. During the experimental period in the model group, tumors proliferated, tumor markers increased significantly, and immunofluorescence results showed that caspase-3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling were significantly decreased. Conversely, supplementation with <i>W. coagulans</i> MZY531 postbiotics significantly reduced the levels of tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen, colon cancer antigen, and extracellular protein kinase A and promoted cell apoptosis by increasing the caspase-3-positive count and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells in tumor tissue. Mechanistically, <i>W. coagulans</i> MZY531 postbiotics inhibit tumor growth through the modulation of the Bax/Bcl-2/caspase-3 and JAK2/STAT3 apoptosis pathways and PI3K/AKT/mTOR and TGF-β/SMAD4 cell autophagy pathways. <i>W. coagulans</i> MZY531 postbiotics had a more significant effect than that of <i>W. coagulans</i> MZY531 alone. Probiotics are expected to become effective natural functional foods for the treatment of colorectal cancer.