Safety and tolerance of the human milk probiotic strain Lactobacillus salivarius CECT5713 in 6-month-old children.

OBJECTIVE: Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the prevention of certain diseases during the pediatric years. Thus, there is an increasing interest in the addition of probiotics to infant formulas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of a follow-on formula with Lactobacillus salivarius CECT5713 in 6-mo-old children. METHODS: The antibiotic susceptibility of L. salivarius CECT5713 was analyzed by a dilution method. A double-blinded, randomized, placebo controlled study was performed. Children (n = 80) were distributed in two groups and consumed the formula supplemented or not with probiotics (2 × 10(6) colony-forming units [cfu]/g) during 6 mo. Fecal samples were collected at enrollment, at 3 mo, and at the end of trial. Clinical and anthropometric evaluations were performed. Depending on the variable, one-way or two-way repeated measures analysis of variance were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The antibiotic susceptibility profile of the strain resulted as safe. No adverse effects associated with the consumption of the probiotic formula were reported. In addition, clinical parameters did not differ between groups. Consumption of the probiotic supplemented formula led to an increase in the fecal lactobacilli content (7.6 ± 0.2 versus 7.9 ± 0.1 log cfu/g, P < 0.05). Lactobacillus salivarius CECT5713 was detected in the feces of volunteers from the probiotic group. Probiotic consumption induced a significant increase in the fecal concentration of butyric acid at 6 mo. CONCLUSION: Thus, a follow-on formula with L. salivarius CECT5713 is safe and well tolerated in 6-mo-old infants.

Beneficial effects of probiotic bacteria isolated from breast milk.

Breast milk is the best food for the neonate because it provides a unique combination of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals and vitamins that ensures the correct growth and development of the infant. In addition, it also contains bioactive compounds responsible for a wide range of beneficial effects such as the promotion of immune system maturation and the protection against infections. Among these bioactive agents, probiotic bacteria have been recently isolated from human milk. The present work reviews the beneficial effects of these bacteria both in animal models and in clinical trials. The promotion of immune system maturation and defence against infections as well as the anti-inflammatory properties are among the main healthy effects of these bacteria. The isolation of probiotic bacteria with beneficial effects for the host provides scientific support for the supplementation of infant formula with these bacteria, in order to advance the pursuit of the main goal of formula: to mimic breast milk and its functional effects as closely as possible.

Oral intake of Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 enhances the effects of influenza vaccination.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the coadjuvant capability of oral consumption of the breast-milk-isolated strain Lactobacillus fermentum (CECT5716) for an anti-influenza vaccine. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled human clinical trial including 50 volunteers (31 male and 19 female) was performed to address the immunologic effects of an intramuscular anti-influenza vaccine in adults (33.0 +/- 7.7 y old). Fifty percent of volunteers received an oral daily dose of methylcellulose (placebo) or probiotic bacteria (1 x 10(10) colony-forming units/d) 2 wk before vaccination and 2 wk after vaccination. RESULTS: Two weeks after vaccination there was an increase in the proportion of natural killer cells in the probiotic group but not in the placebo group. The vaccination induced an increase in T-helper type 1 cytokine concentrations and in T-helper and T-cytotoxic proportions in both groups; however, the probiotic group showed a significant higher induction in some of these parameters. Regarding the humoral effects, induction of antibody response in the placebo group could not be detected. In the case of the probiotic group, a significant increase in antigen specific immunoglobulin A was detected. Although an increase in total immunoglobulin M was observed, changes in anti-influenza antigen specific immunoglobulin M were not observed. The incidence of an influenza-like illness during 5 mo after vaccination (October to February) was lower in the group consuming the probiotic bacteria. CONCLUSION: Oral administration of the strain L. fermentum CECT5716 potentates the immunologic response of an anti-influenza vaccine and may provide enhanced systemic protection from infection by increasing the T-helper type 1 response and virus-neutralizing antibodies.

Dietary fish oil n-3 fatty acids increase regulatory cytokine production and exert anti-inflammatory effects in two murine models of inflammation.

The higher incidence of inflammatory diseases in Western countries might be related, in part, to a high consumption of saturated fatty acids and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and an insufficient intake of n-3 fatty acids. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of dietary n-3 fatty acids on innate and specific immune response and their anti-inflammatory action in models of contact and atopic dermatitis. Balb/C mice were fed for 3 wk either n-6 or n-3 PUFA-fortified diets. After inducing a contact or an atopic dermatitis, immunological parameters were analyzed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of these n-3 PUFA. n-3 PUFA reduced innate and specific immune responses through inhibition of TH1 and TH2 responses, increase of immunomodulatory cytokines such as IL-10, and regulation of gene expression. The inhibition of both kinds of responses was confirmed by the anti-inflammatory effect observed in contact and atopic dermatitis. Reduction in weight, edema, thickness, leukocyte infiltration, and enhancement of antioxidant defenses in the inflamed ears of mice from both models along with the prevention of delayed-type hypersensitivity induced in atopic dermatitis proved n-3 PUFA efficacy. Our data suggest that dietary fish oil-derived n-3 fatty acids have immunomodulatory effects and could be useful in inflammatory disorders.

Dietary olive oil supplemented with fish oil, rich in EPA and DHA (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, attenuates colonic inflammation in rats with DSS-induced colitis.

Previous studies proposed a protective role of the dietary intake of (n-3) PUFA in human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but almost no studies have been performed using olive oil. The aims of the present study were to test the beneficial effects of an olive oil-based diet with or without fish oil, rich in (n-3) PUFA, in the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) model of rat colitis and to elucidate the mechanisms involved in their potential beneficial effects, with special attention to the production of some of the mediators involved in the intestinal inflammatory response, such as leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and nitric oxide (NO). Rats were fed the different diets for 2 wk before colitis induction and thereafter until colonic evaluation 15 d later. Colitic rats fed the olive oil-based diet had a lower colonic inflammatory response than those fed the soybean oil diet, and this beneficial effect was increased by the dietary incorporation of (n-3) PUFA. A restoration of colonic glutathione levels and lower colonic NO synthase expression occurred in all colitic rats fed an olive oil diet compared with the control colitic group that consumed the soybean oil diet. However, (n-3) PUFA incorporation into an olive oil diet significantly decreased colonic TNFalpha and LTB(4) levels compared with colitic rats that were not supplemented with fish oil. These results affirm the benefits of an olive oil diet in the management of IBD, which are further enhanced by the addition of (n-3) PUFA.

Increased immune response in mice consuming rice bran oil.

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fatty acids play a key role in a number of biological functions. Rice bran oil (RBO) is rich in linoleic acid, an essential n-6 fatty acid. n-6 fatty acids are said to have proinflammatory effects as a result of an increase in n-6 fatty acid-derived eicosanoids. RBO is also rich in gamma-oryzanol, a compound from the unsaponifiable fraction, with antioxidant properties. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to examine the effect of RBO-and/or gamma-oryzanol-enriched diets on the regulation of the immune response. METHODS: 4 week-old Balb/C mice were fed diets enriched with either RBO or high oleic-sunflower oil (HOSO), for one month. Serum samples, bone marrow-derived macrophages and lymphocytes from the spleen were collected. RESULTS: Compared to HOSO, our results show that RBO modulates the immune system by enhancing B-lymphocyte proliferation (6842 +/- 2959 vs 10073 +/- 4186 cpm; HOSO vs RBO; n = 10 per group) and TH1-type cytokines such as IL-2 (55.85 +/- 18.2 vs 101.7 +/- 21.6 pg/ml) or TNF-alpha (49.12 +/- 18.6 vs 184.9 +/- 46.2 pg/ml; HOSO vs RBO) in a significant way (n = 10 per group). Moreover, the reduction found in the TH2 cytokine IL-4 (7.59 +/- 2.3 vs 4.48 +/- 1.6 pg/ml) and IgE (56.9 +/- 39.2 vs 42.4 +/- 35.2 ng/ ml; HOSO vs RBO, n = 10 per group) levels suggests RBO may have antiallergenic properties. To elucidate the role of gamma-oryzanol, a similar study was also carried out including diets enriched with refined RBO or HOSO containing gamma-oryzanol (2 %). Our results suggest that although gamma-oryzanol may modulate the immune system, it is not responsible for the overall immunostimulation effect seen for RBO. CONCLUSIONS: RBO-enriched diets could be useful in situations where a potentiation of the immune response was required. The fatty acids composition, more than the unsaponifiable fraction, might be responsible for this effect.