Continuous increasing incidence of allergic diseases is calling for identifying early prognostic markers pointing to increased risk of allergy development and establishing protocols for preventive strategies limiting allergy development in predisposed individuals. It is important to better understand the critical events occurring in early postnatal life, especially the interaction of a newborn with microbial compounds important for the maturation of the neonatal immune system and setting immunoregulatory responses as well. Dendritic cells (DC) together with the cytokine microenvironment play an important role in priming of immune responses. The capacity of monocyte-derived DC (moDC) from cord blood of children of healthy and allergic mothers to respond to microbial antigens (Escherichia coli O86 (EcO86) and delipidated Bacillus firmus (DBF)) was tested by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR. Both EcO86 and DBF were able to promote maturation of moDC, but moDC of children of allergic mothers expressed higher levels of activation markers CD80 and CD83. Increased gene expression of IL-6 and lower expression of indol-amine 2,3 dioxygenase were observed in moDC of neonates of allergic mothers, in comparison to healthy ones. A higher gene expression and an increased presence of activation markers on moDC of newborns of allergic mothers indicate a generally higher reactivity of these cells, possibly enabling easier development of inappropriate immune response after an allergen encounter.

• MeSH
• Hypersensitivity blood   diagnosis   MeSH
• Antigens, Bacterial immunology   MeSH
• Antigens, Surface genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Biomarkers metabolism   MeSH
• Cytokines genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Dendritic Cells immunology   MeSH
• Fetal Blood MeSH
• Cells, Cultured MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mothers MeSH
• Monocytes immunology   MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antigens, Bacterial MeSH
• Antigens, Surface MeSH
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Cytokines MeSH

AIM: To assess the systemic and local immunological response to subcutaneous implants of a vascular graft covered with collagen extracted from the European carp (freshwater fish) or with collagen of bovine origin. METHODS: Pieces of a vascular graft covered by pure bovine (Bos taurus, BOV, n=14) or carp (Cyprinus carpio, CYP, n=14) collagen 5 mm in size were implanted subcutaneously in the dorsum of a Balb/cOla mice. A sham operation group of 12 animals served as the control. At 7 and 14 days after the operation, one-half of each group was terminated and blood for serum, spleen, and implant with surrounding tissue were collected. Mean cytokine (TNF-α, IL-10, IL-4, IL-1β, IL-13, and IFN-γ) levels in serum were determined using ELISA. Spleen cell cultures were used for in vitro testing of lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine secretion. Local expressions of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, TGF-β, CCL-2, and CCL-3 were determined using PCR. RESULTS: We found no significant difference among control, BOV, and CYP groups in mean cytokine serum levels at seven days. At day 14, the BOV group had higher levels of TNF-α (P=.018) and both the BOV and CYP groups had lower levels of IL-4 (P=.011 and P=.047, respectively) compared with the control group. Both tested implants showed only a minimal effect on the production of selected cytokines. Cell proliferation in the CYP group stimulated by CYP gel at 14 days was significantly lower than by BOV gel in BOV group (P=.0031) or by CYP gel in the control group (P=.041). The difference between the groups in the local RNA expression of all the tested mediators both at 7 and at 14 days was not significant apart from a lower level of TNF-α in the BOV group compared to CYP at 14 days (P=.013). CONCLUSIONS: Implants covered with carp collagen induce an immunological response that is comparable to that of bovine collagen covered implants in a mouse model.

• MeSH
• Cellular Microenvironment MeSH
• Blood Vessel Prosthesis * MeSH
• Cytokines blood   MeSH
• Carps MeSH
• Collagen immunology   MeSH
• RNA, Messenger genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Mice, Inbred BALB C MeSH
• Cell Proliferation MeSH
• Cattle MeSH
• Spleen cytology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Cattle MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Cytokines MeSH
• Collagen MeSH
• RNA, Messenger MeSH

Mucosal immunization with non-living antigens usually requires the use of an adjuvant. The adjuvant activity of Bacillus firmus in the mucosal immunization of mice was described by our laboratory previously. In the present study, subcellular localization of B. firmus activities was followed. After mechanical disintegration, subcellular components of bacterium were fractionated by differential centrifugation and salting out. Bacterial cell walls, cytoplasmic membrane fraction, soluble cytoplasmic proteins, and ribosomal fractions were isolated. Their effect on the mouse immune system was studied. Lymphocyte proliferation and immunoglobulin formation in vitro were stimulated by bacterial cell wall (BCW), cytoplasmic membrane (CMF), and ribosomal fractions. BCW and CMF increased antibody formation after intratracheal immunization of mice with influenza A and B viruses, and increased protection against subsequent infection with influenza virus. The BCW fraction even induced intersubtypic cross-protection: Mice immunized with A/California/7/04 (H3N2) + BCW were resistant to the infection by the highly pathogenic A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) virus.

• MeSH
• Adjuvants, Immunologic administration & dosage   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Bacillus chemistry   MeSH
• Orthomyxoviridae Infections prevention & control   MeSH
• Cells, Cultured MeSH
• Lymphocytes drug effects   MeSH
• Disease Models, Animal MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Cell Proliferation drug effects   MeSH
• Antibody Formation drug effects   MeSH
• Influenza Vaccines administration & dosage   MeSH
• Influenza A virus immunology   MeSH
• Influenza B virus immunology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Adjuvants, Immunologic MeSH
• Influenza Vaccines MeSH

BACKGROUND: Probiotic bacteria can be used for the prevention and treatment of human inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). However, the nature of active components and exact mechanisms of this beneficial effects have not been fully elucidated. Our aim was to investigate if lysate of probiotic bacterium L. casei DN-114 001 (Lc) could decrease the severity of intestinal inflammation in a murine model of IBD. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The preventive effect of oral administration of Lc significantly reduces the severity of acute dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis in BALB/c but not in SCID mice. In order to analyze how this beneficial effect interferes with well-known phases of intestinal inflammation pathogenesis in vivo and in vitro, we evaluated intestinal permeability using the FITC-labeled dextran method and analysed tight junction proteins expression by immunofluorescence and PCR. We also measured CD4(+)FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells proportion by FACS analysis, microbiota composition by pyrosequencing, and local cytokine production by ELISA. Lc leads to a significant protection against increased intestinal permeability and barrier dysfunction shown by preserved ZO-1 expression. We found that the Lc treatment increases the numbers of CD4(+)FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), decreases production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ, and anti-inflammatory IL-10 in Peyer's patches and large intestine, and changes the gut microbiota composition. Moreover, Lc treatment prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α expression in RAW 264.7 cell line by down-regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study provided evidence that even non-living probiotic bacteria can prevent the development of severe forms of intestinal inflammation by strengthening the integrity of intestinal barrier and modulation of gut microenvironment.

• MeSH
• Macrophage Activation drug effects   MeSH
• Acute Disease MeSH
• Administration, Oral MeSH
• Down-Regulation drug effects   MeSH
• Phosphoproteins metabolism   MeSH
• Immunity drug effects   MeSH
• Colitis microbiology   pathology   physiopathology   prevention & control   MeSH
• Lacticaseibacillus casei metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Lipopolysaccharides pharmacology   MeSH
• Membrane Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Metagenome drug effects   MeSH
• Mice, Inbred BALB C MeSH
• Mice, SCID MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• NF-kappa B metabolism   MeSH
• Permeability drug effects   MeSH
• Lymphocyte Count MeSH
• Probiotics administration & dosage   pharmacology   MeSH
• Zonula Occludens-1 Protein MeSH
• T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory cytology   drug effects   MeSH
• Intestinal Mucosa drug effects   immunology   microbiology   MeSH
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha biosynthesis   MeSH
• Digestive System drug effects   microbiology   physiopathology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Phosphoproteins MeSH
• Lipopolysaccharides MeSH
• Membrane Proteins MeSH
• NF-kappa B MeSH
• Zonula Occludens-1 Protein MeSH
• TJP1 protein, human MeSH Browser
• Tjp1 protein, mouse MeSH Browser
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha MeSH