Probiotics and virus infections : The effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG on respiratory and gastrointestinal virus infections
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Viral respiratory and gastrointestinal infections are a major health problem, in particular among children. A large range of etiologic agents and increasing antiviral and antibiotic resistance, challenge the development of efficient therapies. Accumulating evidence suggests that specific probiotic bacteria are able to decrease the risk and symptoms of these infections. This thesis investigated the effects of specific probiotics, in particular Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, on respiratory and gastrointestinal virus infections in a cell model in vitro, in a rat model in vivo, and in children. A particular focus was on questions, whether viability of a probiotic is an important factor in probiotic-virus interaction, and whether a combination of probiotics is more effective than single strains. A novel colorimetric neutralization assay was developed for measuring influenza virus antibodies in human sera. The method was applied to measure antibody response after the administration of a seasonal, inactivated, trivalent influenza vaccine. The results were compared with those obtained with a traditional hemagglutinin inhibition test. The results obtained with both assays correlated well. Moreover, neutralization test proved to be more sensitive and specific than the hemagglutinin inhibition test. Thus, the method is valid for influenza virus research, and it could be applied for studying immune adjuvant effects of probiotics on serum influenza antibody titers in the future. Immunomodulatory effects of probiotics were screened in human macrophage model in vitro. After 24 hours of bacterial stimulation, probiotic combination of L. rhamnosus GG and L. rhamnosus Lc705 was not able to significantly induce higher macrophage cytokine and chemokine production (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12, MCP-1, IP-10) over individual L. rhamnosus strains. However, cytokine responses induced by this combination were stronger than responses induced by traditional starter culture bacterium Lactococcus lactis ARH74, highlighting that immunomodulatory effects of probiotics are strain specific. The effects of viable and unviable L. rhamnosus GG in rotavirus infection were investigated in a neonatal rat model. Consistency of feces, animal weight, colon weight and the rotavirus colonization of plasma and intestinal tissues were considered as indexes of infection severity. Nonviable L. rhamnosus GG had beneficial effects in rotavirus infection in terms of reducing rotavirus induced body weight reduction and colon weight increase. However, viable L. rhamnosus GG was more effective in reducing significantly viral load in the gastrointestinal tract. The effects of L. rhamnosus GG alone or probiotic combination containing L. rhamnosus GG on the occurrence of viral respiratory infections was assessed in a six month intervention trial in children or in otitis-prone children. Children receiving only L. rhamnosus GG had fewer days with respiratory tract symptoms during the intervention period. However, L. rhamnosus GG did not reduce viral occurrence in the nasopharynx, suggesting that L.rhamnosus GG is able to reduce respiratory virus symptoms through enhancing immune response. In otitis-prone children, L. rhamnosus GG in a combination with L. rhamnosus Lc705, Bifidobacterium breve 99, and Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS significantly reduced human bocavirus load in the nasopharynx three to six months after intervention. In conclusion, probiotics and their combinations differ in their ability to elicit immunomodulatory effects in vitro. Viability of a probiotic is an important factor in virus infection. The probiotic L. rhamnosus GG reduced days with respiratory tract symptoms. In children, L. rhamnosus GG alone was not effective in reducing viral occurrence in the nasopharynx. However in otitis-prone children, L. rhamnosus GG in a combination reduced the numbers of human bocavirus.
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Liisa Lehtoranta
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W343923978