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Part 2 - On L. Paracasei for Allergies

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Gastroenterology. 2004 Sep;127(3):826-37.

Lactobacillus paracasei normalizes muscle hypercontractility in a murine
model of postinfective gut dysfunction.

Verdu EF, Bercik P, Bergonzelli GE, Huang XX, Blennerhasset P, Rochat F,
Fiaux M, Mansourian R, Corthesy-Theulaz I, Collins SM.

McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, HSC 3N5C, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada. [log in to unmask]

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The effects of probiotics on gut dysfunction in
postinfective irritable bowel syndrome are unknown. We tested whether
probiotics influence persistent muscle hypercontractility in mice after
recovery from infection with Trichinella spiralis and analyzed the
underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Mice were gavaged with Lactobacillus
paracasei, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Bifidobacterium longum, or
Bifidobacterium lactis in spent culture medium from days 10 to 21 after
infection. Additional mice received heat-inactivated Lactobacillus
paracasei, Lactobacillus paracasei -free spent culture medium, or heat-
inactivated Lactobacillus paracasei -free spent culture medium.
Lactobacilli enumeration, immunohistochemistry, and cytokine detection
(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were performed. Mice were also treated
with Lactobacillus paracasei or Lactobacillus paracasei -free spent culture
medium from days 18 to 28 after infection. Contractility was measured on
days 21 and 28 after infection. RESULTS: Lactobacillus paracasei, but not
Lactobacillus johnsonii, Bifidobacterium lactis, or Bifidobacterium longum,
attenuated muscle hypercontractility. This was associated with a reduction
in the Trichinella spiralis -associated T-helper 2 response and a reduction
in transforming growth factor-beta1, cyclooxygenase-2, and prostaglandin E
2 levels in muscle. Attenuation of muscle hypercontractility by
Lactobacillus paracasei -free spent culture medium was abolished after heat
treatment. Improvement of muscle hypercontractility at day 28 after
infection was also observed after the administration of Lactobacillus
paracasei or Lactobacillus paracasei -free spent culture medium from day 18
after infection. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics show strain-dependent attenuation
of muscle hypercontractility in an animal model of postinfective irritable
bowel syndrome. This likely occurs via both a modulation of the immunologic
response to infection and a direct effect of Lactobacillus paracasei or a
heat-labile metabolite on postinfective muscle hypercontractility.
Lactobacillus paracasei may be useful in the treatment of postinfective
irritable bowel syndrome.

PMID: 15362038 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2004 Sep-Oct;28(5):348-54.

Effects of a nutritional supplement on the immune response and cytokine
production in free-living Chilean elderly.

Bunout D, Barrera G, Hirsch S, Gattas V, de la Maza MP, Haschke F,
Steenhout P, Klassen P, Hager C, Avendano M, Petermann M, Munoz C.

Department of Medicine, Central Campus Faculty of Medicine, University of
Chile, Santiago, Chile. [log in to unmask]

BACKGROUND: Immune response is impaired in the elderly. Our aim was to
study the effects of a special nutritional formula on the immune response
and response to influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in elderly subjects.
METHODS: Sixty healthy subjects aged > or = 70 years, with a Mini Mental
score > or = 22 were studied. Half of the subjects received a special
nutritional formula (in addition to the regular diet) providing, among
other nutrients, 480 kcal, 31 g proteins, 120 IU vitamin E, 3.8 microg
vitamin B12, 400 microg folic acid, 10(9) cfu Lactobacillus paracasei (NCC
2461), and 6 g of fructo-oligosaccharides. At 4 months of follow-up,
subjects were vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcus. Lymphokine
production by mononuclear cells (PBMC), lymphocyte subpopulations, and
natural killer cell (NK) activity were measured at baseline and 4 months of
follow-up (before vaccination). Antibodies against influenza and
pneumococcal antigens and flu-stimulated production of interferon gamma and
interleukin-2 by PBMC were measured at 4 and 6 months. Skin response to 7
recall antigens and body composition were assessed at baseline and at 4 and
12 months. All infections occurring during the study period were recorded.
RESULTS: NK activity increased in supplemented subjects and decreased in
nonsupplemented individuals. Interleukin-2 production by PBMC and the
proportion of T cells with NK activity decreased in controls and did not
change in supplemented subjects. Supplemented subjects reported less
infections than nonsupplemented individuals (in 13% and 22% of scheduled
visits, respectively; p = .02). CONCLUSIONS: This nutritional supplement
increased innate immunity and protection against infections in elderly
people.

PMID: 15449576 [PubMed - in process]

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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999 Aug;65(8):3418-26.

Free full text:
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/full/65/8/3418?view=full&pmid=10427029

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of non-starter lactic acid
bacteria in mature cheddar cheese.

Fitzsimons NA, Cogan TM, Condon S, Beresford T.

Dairy Products Research Centre, Fermoy, County Cork, Republic of Ireland.

Non-starter lactic acid bacteria were isolated from 14 premium-quality and
3 sensorially defective mature Irish Cheddar cheeses, obtained from six
manufacturers. From countable plates of Lactobacillus-selective agar, 20
single isolated colonies were randomly picked per cheese. All 331 viable
isolates were biochemically characterized as mesophilic (i.e., group II)
Lactobacillus spp. Phenotypically, the isolates comprised 96.4% L.
paracasei, 2.1% L. plantarum, 0.3% L. curvatus, 0.3% L. brevis, and 0.9%
unidentified species. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis
was used to rapidly identify the dominant strain groups in nine cheeses
from three of the factories, and through clustering by the unweighted pair
group method with arithmetic averages, an average of seven strains were
found per cheese. In general, strains isolated from cheese produced at the
same factory clustered together. The majority of isolates associated with
premium-quality cheese grouped together and apart from clusters of strains
from defective-quality cheese. No correlation was found between the isomer
of lactate produced and RAPD profiles, although isolates which did not
ferment ribose clustered together. The phenotypic and genotypic methods
employed were validated with a selection of 31 type and reference strains
of mesophilic Lactobacillus spp. commonly found in Cheddar cheese. RAPD
analysis was found to be a useful and rapid method for identifying isolates
to the species level. The low homology exhibited between RAPD banding
profiles for cheese isolates and collection strains demonstrated the
heterogeneity of the L. paracasei complex.

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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1998 Jun;64(6):2192-9.

Free full text:
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/full/64/6/2192?view=full&pmid=9603834

Development of a probiotic cheddar cheese containing human-derived
Lactobacillus paracasei strains.

Gardiner G, Ross RP, Collins JK, Fitzgerald G, Stanton C.

Dairy Products Research Center, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland.

Cheddar cheese was manufactured with either Lactobacillus salivarius NFBC
310, NFBC 321, or NFBC 348 or L. paracasei NFBC 338 or NFBC 364 as the
dairy starter adjunct. These five strains had previously been isolated from
the human small intestine and have been characterized extensively with
respect to their probiotic potential. Enumeration of these strains in
mature Cheddar cheese, however, was complicated by the presence of high
numbers (>10(7) CFU/g of cheese) of nonstarter lactic acid bacteria,
principally composed of lactobacilli which proliferate as the cheese
ripens. Attempts to differentiate the adjunct lactobacilli from the
nonstarter lactobacilli based on bile tolerance and growth temperature were
unsuccessful. In contrast, the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA method
allowed the generation of discrete DNA fingerprints for each strain which
were clearly distinguishable from those generated from the natural flora of
the cheeses. Using this approach, it was found that both L. paracasei
strains grew and sustained high viability in cheese during ripening, while
each of the L. salivarius species declined over the ripening period. These
data demonstrate that Cheddar cheese can be an effective vehicle for
delivery of some probiotic organisms to the consumer.

PMID: 10427029 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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