Allergology International (Jan 2007)

Lactobacillus Acidophilus Strain L-92 Regulates the Production of Th1 Cytokine as well as Th2 Cytokines

  • Akiko Torii,
  • Shinpei Torii,
  • Shigeru Fujiwara,
  • Hiroyuki Tanaka,
  • Naoki Inagaki,
  • Hiroichi Nagai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2332/allergolint.O-06-459
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 56, no. 3
pp. 293 – 301

Abstract

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Background: There is growing interest in probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), not only for treatment of T helper type (Th) 1-mediated diseases but also for Th2-mediated diseases, including allergic diseases, since lactic acid bacteria may be able to modulate the Th1/Th2 balance, in addition to having an immunomodulative effect through induction of Th1 bias. Methods: The effect of oral administration of heat-killed Lactobacillus acidophilus Strain L-92 (L-92) on ovalbumin (OVA)-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E production was investigated in BALB/c mice. L-92 was orally administered to mice for 8 weeks from 2 weeks after initiation of OVA-immunization. Patterns of cytokine and Ig production in splenocytes and cells from Peyer’s patches (PPs) from these mice were examined after restimulation with OVA in vitro. Results: L-92 significantly suppressed serum OVA-specific IgE levels for a long period. Cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 and Igs such as total IgE and OVA-specific IgE were produced at significantly lower levels by splenocytes of L-92-treated mice, compared with those of control mice. In contrast, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and IgA levels produced by PPs from L-92-treated mice were significantly higher than in those from control mice. Conclusions: Oral L-92 administration regulated both Th1 and Th2 cytokine responses, suppressed serum OVA-specific IgE, and induced TGF-β production in PPs. TGF-β is known to be associated with activation of regulatory T (Treg) cells. These data suggest that LAB may have immunomodulative effect by Treg cells via TGF-β activity.

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