Background: Allergic diseases are featured by an increased production of IgE due to an imbalance in the immune response towards a Th2 profile. In this work, the ability of Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 to regulate this Th2-exaggerated response in a murine model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy was studied. Methods: BALB/c mice intragastrically inoculated with E. faecalis CECT7121 before and during a subcutaneous immunization protocol with OVA were studied in comparison with an immunized control group. The allergen-specific immune response (IgE, IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a) was assessed. The proliferative activity of memory splenocytes and the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-γ were also determined. Results: Upon treatment with E. faecalis CECT7121 the following effects were observed: (1) a decrease in specific IgE levels, (2) an increase in anti-OVA IgG2a levels, (3) the levels of anti-OVA IgG and IgG1 remained unaltered, (4) a reduction in the proliferation rate of memory cells, (5) a decrease in the levels of the Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, and (6) the secretion of IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-γ remained unchanged. Moreover, the incubation of human basophils with non-viable E. faecalis CECT7121 together with an allergen preparation induced the release of β-hexosaminidase at levels that were lower than control reactions and similar i.g. the spontaneous release. Conclusions: In this model, the i.g. administration of E. faecalis CECT7121 hampers the establishment of the OVA-induced allergic immune response, suggesting that this strain could be useful for the treatment of IgE-mediated allergic diseases.

Aims:  To study the anti‐tumour effects of Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 on LBC cells, an aggressive murine T‐cell lymphoma that kills the host in 18 days when is intraperitoneally (i.p.) administrated. Methods and Results:  In vitro studies have shown that LBC cell proliferation was inhibited by Ent. faecalis CECT7121 stimulus in a dose‐dependent manner, inducing apoptosis. The production of ceramide was involved in the latter effect. To undertake in vivo studies, syngeneic BALB/c mice pre‐treated i.p. with Ent. faecalis CECT7121 (2·5 × 108 CFU) were challenged i.p. with LBC cells (1·0 × 106 cells) the day after. On day 30 post‐inoculation of LBC cells, 70% of Ent. faecalis CECT7121 pre‐treated mice survived, whereas no survivals were recorded in the control group. A group of surviving mice was re‐challenged with LBC cells, and 89% of them survived. Upon stimulation with irradiated LBC cells, spleen cell proliferation, high IFNγ, IL‐12 and IL‐10 levels were observed in surviving animals. Conclusions:  Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 affected multiple factors of the tumour establishment by the following methods: down‐regulating the LBC cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in these cells; and enhancing the immune response that protects animals from lymphoma challenge and re‐challenge. Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study demonstrate that Ent. faecalis CECT7121 has potential as a probiotic that could facilitate the development of novel complements to therapeutic strategies against oncological diseases.

Our results indicate that, apart from its already reported systemic immune activity, Ent. faecalis CECT7121 has a modulatory effect at a local level.