Effect of Low-Immunogenic Yogurt Drinks and Probiotic Bacteria on Immunoreactivity of Cow’s Milk Proteins and Tolerance Induction—In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Abstract

There is no effective therapy for milk allergy. The role of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and probiotics in protection against allergy-related outcomes is still under investigation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the immunomodulative and therapeutic potential of yogurt drinks in cow’s milk allergy (CMA) management. We compared immunoreactivity of α-casein (α-CN), β-casein (β-CN), κ-casein (κ-CN), α-lactalbumin (α-LA), and β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) in 27 yogurt drinks fermented with different basic yogurt cultures, or yogurt cultures enriched with Lactobacillus plantarum and/or Bifidobacterium lactis strains, by competitive ELISA assay. Drinks with the lowest antigenic potential were used as allergoids for CMA therapy. BALB/c mice were sensitized via intraperitoneal injection of α-CN + β-LG mixture with aluminum adjuvant, and gavaged with increasing doses of selected low-immunogenic drinks (YM—basic, or YM-LB—enriched with L. plantarum and B. lactis) to induce tolerance. Milk- or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-dosed mice served as controls. Compared to milk, the immunoreactivity of proteins in drinks increased or decreased, depending on the bacterial sets applied for fermentation. Only a few sets acted synergistically in reducing immunoreactivity. The selected low-immunogenic drinks stimulated allergic mice for profiling Th2 to Th1 response and acquire tolerance, and the effect was greater with YM-LB drink, which during long-lasting interventional feeding strongly increased the secretion of regulatory cytokines, i.e., IL-10 and TGF-β, and IgA and decreased IL-4, IgE, and anti-(α-CN + β-LG) IgG1. The studies revealed variations in the potency of yogurt bacteria to change allergenicity of milk proteins and the need for their strict selection to obtain a safe product for allergy sufferers. The YM-LB drink with reduced antigenic potential may be a source of allergoids used in the immunotherapy of IgE mediated CMA, but further clinical or volunteer studies are required.

Co-fermented cow milk protein by Lactobacillus helveticus KLDS 1.8701 and Lactobacillus plantarum KLDS 1.0386 attenuates its allergic immune response in Balb/c mice

“…It was also reported that the cytokine IL-4 produced by Th2 cells plays a crucial role in IgE-mediated CMPA by inducing the IgE class switching and its production (Dourado et al, 2010;Kumar et al, 2012). Moreover, IFN-γ produced by Th1 cells may reduce IgE production to relieve allergic response by inhibiting the production of IL-4 (Wróblewska et al, 2020;Stott et al, 2013). Thus, the balance of Th1/Th2 can effectively reflect the degree of hypersensitivity, and allergies generally tend to be excessive Th2-type immune responses (Stott et al, 2013).…”

“…According to Rui et al (2019), fermentation reduced the IgE reactivity of the soy protein isolates, likely due to changes in the primary and higher structure of the protein. In addition, an in vivo study demonstrated that fermented milk can regulate the Th2/Th1 balance in sensitized mice, thereby stimulating the tolerance process (Wróblewska et al, 2020).…”

OVA-Experienced CD4+ T Cell Transfer and Chicken Protein Challenge Affect the Immune Response to OVA in a Murine Model

“…Hoffman et al [ 28 ] presented an observational study that compared patients with IgE-mediated allergy to a control group, showing increased proliferative response to milk antigens in the first group. The secretion of Th1 or Th2 cytokines defines whether the response to a potential allergen is tolerance or an allergic reaction [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. In the current study, splenocytes isolated from the tested groups secreted varied amounts of cytokines.…”

The impact of combination of solution plasma processing and pulsed electric field on the viability of probiotic bacteria, microbial growth, and structure of yoghurt drink

“…Probiotic term is explained as “living bacteria found in fermented milk products and positively affecting the microbial balance in the intestine of the host.” To date, many definitions of probiotics have been made, and the Food and Drug Administration/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO, 2002) defines probiotics as “living microorganisms that exhibit positive effects on host health when consumed in sufficient quantities.” In order for probiotic bacteria to show its stated benefits, the product must also contain a certain level of live microorganisms (6–7 log 10 cfu ml −1 ) during consumption. Foods containing probiotic bacteria should contain this level of viable microorganisms and remain unchanged during the recommended final consumption date of the food (Nagpal et al, 2007; Talwalkar et al, 2004; Wróblewska et al, 2020). The increasing consumption of dairy products containing probiotic microorganisms has led to the search for new alternatives to ensure the viability of the product throughout its shelf life and the therapeutic effect it will provide for human health (Birch & Bonwick, 2019; Narli & Ozcan, 2022; Valero‐cases et al, 2020).…”

“…In order for probiotic bacteria to show its stated benefits, the product must also contain a certain level of live microorganisms (6-7 log 10 cfu ml −1 ) during consumption. Foods containing probiotic bacteria should contain this level of viable microorganisms and remain unchanged during the recommended final consumption date of the food (Nagpal et al, 2007;Talwalkar et al, 2004;Wróblewska et al, 2020). The increasing consumption of dairy products containing probiotic microorganisms has led to the search for new alternatives to ensure the viability of the product throughout its shelf life and the therapeutic effect it will provide for human health (Birch & Bonwick, 2019;Narli & Ozcan, 2022;Valero-cases et al, 2020).…”