Distal Mucosal Site Stimulation by Kefir and Duration of the Immune Response

Abstract

Kefir is a fermented milk (drink) produced by the action of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and acetic acid bacteria. We recently reported a comparative study on the effect of kefir containing viable or non-viable bacteria by studying their modulatory activity on the intestinal immune response. A functional dose was established in a murine model and the pattern of regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines induced was also studied. The existence of a common mucosal immune system implies that the immune cells stimulated in one mucosal tissue can spread and relocate through various mucosal sites. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of an oral administration of kefir on the duration of the intestinal mucosa immune response and the modulatory activity in distal mucosal sites, specifically in the peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages and in the bronchial tissue. BALB/c mice were fed with kefir or pasteurized kefir at doses previously determined as functional for intestinal mucosa immunomodulation. Kefir feeding was stopped and the number of IgA, IgG, IL-4, IL-6, IL-IO, IIFNyand TNFa producing cells was determined in the lamina propria of small intestine immediately, and after 2 and 7 days of kefir withdrawal. IgA producing cells were also measured in the bronchial tissue of lungs immediately and 2 and 7 days after kefir withdrawal. Phagocytic activity of peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages was also determined. The oral administration of kefir or pasteurized keflr increased the number of IgA+ cells not only in the gut lamina propria, but also in the bronchial tissue, supporting the concept of local antibody secretion after remote-site stimulation in the intestinal tract. Both peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages were activated by kefir or pasteurized kefir feeding. Peritoneal macrophages were stimulated faster than pulmonary macrophages (for kefir), The enhanced phagocytic activity achieved by kefir or pasteurized kefir lasted longer for the peritoneal than for the pulmonary macrophages. Due to the increased bronchial IgA and phagocytic activity of pulmonary macrophages after kefir feeding observed in this study, the oral administration of kefir could act as a natural adjuvant for enhancing the specific immune response against respiratory pathogens. The parameters studied returned to control values within a week of cessation of kefir administration. This would suggest that there is a low risk of overstimulating the gut mucosal immune system during periodic consumption of kefir.The oral administration of fermented dairy products has been shown to strengthen the nonspecific immune response or to act as an adjuvant in the antigen-specific immune response (1-2), mainly in the intestinal environment. Fermented milk administered to mice resulted in

Identification by PCR and evaluation of probiotic potential in yeast strains found in kefir samples in the city of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

“…Several studies confirm the beneficial effects of kefir, such as the capacity to modulate the intestinal mucosal immune response in mice, enhance the phagocytic activity of peritoneal and pulmonary macrophage, furthermore, the capacity to enhance the mucosal immune system in distal sites (bronchial tissue) (Vinderola et al, 2005a;Vinderola et al, 2005b). On studies performed by Vinderola et al (2005aVinderola et al ( , b, 2006, the authors observed that different components of kefir present an in vivo role role as oral biotherapeutic substances capable of stimulating immune cells of the innate immune system or to promote cell-mediated immune responses against tumours and also against intracellular pathogenic infections.…”

Streptococcus thermophilus strains: Multifunctional lactic acid bacteria

“…It has been reported that EPS derived from these LAB may enhance immunological functions such as proliferation of T-lymphocytes, macrophage activation and induction of cytokines (interferon-g, interleukin-1,a) and may have the capacity to modify some macrophage and splenocyte functions (Kitazawa et al, 2000;Sato et al, 2004;Vinderola, Perdigó n, Duarte, Farnworth, & Matar, 2006). The water-soluble EPS (kefiran) from kefir grains was demonstrated to have immunomodulating capacity in a murine model; this has the capacity to increase the phagocytic activity of peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages and to modulate the mucosal response at distant sites (Vinderola et al, 2005a) and also effect the cytokine production by cells of the innate immunity-adherent populations of Peyer's patches and peritoneal macrophages (Vinderola, Perdigó n, Duarte, Farnworth, & Matar, 2005b). It has also shown to have the property of retarding tumour growth when administrated orally, probably through T-cell and not through B-cell participation (Zubillaga et al, 2001).…”

Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of kefir in a mouse asthma model

“…There are several studies investigating its immunomodulatory (Vinderola et al, 2005a), anti-inflammatory (Rodrigues et al, 2005), and anti-neoplastic and pro-digestive effects (Saloff-Coaste, 1996). It was also demonstrated that while kefir induced a typical Th2 response by increasing the number of IL-4+, IL-6+, and IL-10+ cells, pasteurized kefir induced simultaneously the production of INF-g and TNF-a (Vinderola et al, 2005b).…”