JACN Did you know that you can get alerts when a new issue is online?
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kishi, A.
Right arrow Articles by Kishida, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kishi, A.
Right arrow Articles by Kishida, T.

Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 15, Issue 4 408-412, Copyright © 1996 by American College of Nutrition

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effect of the oral administration of Lactobacillus brevis subsp. coagulans on interferon-alpha producing capacity in humans

A. Kishi, K. Uno, Y. Matsubara, C. Okuda and T. Kishida
Louis Pasteur Center for Medical Research, Kyoto, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine whether the oral administration of Lactobacillus brevis subsp. coagulans modulates immunological responses in human subjects, and whether there are differences in response between live and heat-treated preparations. METHODS: The effect of the oral administration of Lactobacillus brevis subsp. coagulans (Labre) for 4 weeks on the interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) producing capacity of apparently healthy subjects was evaluated. Sixty volunteers were divided into five groups for the determination of virus-induced IFN-alpha production in response to various doses of live and to heat-killed Labre. 2-5A synthetase activity was measured to detect trace amounts of IFN production. Routine blood tests were also performed to determine the state of health of the subjects involved in this study and to test any side effects of Labre treatment. RESULTS: The oral administration of live Labre showed a statistically significant increase in IFN-alpha production at 2 weeks (p < 0.05) and at 4 weeks (p < 0.05) in the group receiving 600 million bacteria/day and at 4 weeks (p < 0.05) in the group receiving 300 million bacteria/day. In particular, IFN-alpha production in those with initially low levels rose significantly when either 300 million or 600 million bacteria/day were ingested. Consumption of heat-killed Labre 300 million bacteria/day did not result in a statistically significant change in IFN-alpha production. The level of 2-5A synthetase activity remained the same in the control and experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Oral administration of live Labre significantly increased IFN-alpha production in a dose-dependent manner. Labre intake tended to be most beneficial in subjects with initially low levels of IFN-alpha production. Heat-treated Labre did not elicit a response similar to that of the live bacteria.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Am. Coll. Nutr.Home page
Y.-H. Sheih, B.-L. Chiang, L.-H. Wang, C.-K. Liao, and H. S. Gill
Systemic Immunity-Enhancing Effects in Healthy Subjects Following Dietary Consumption of the Lactic Acid Bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001
J. Am. Coll. Nutr., April 1, 2001; 20(2): 149 - 156.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1996 by the American College of Nutrition.