Strain Shirota Modulates Macrophage-Intestinal Epithelial Cell Co-Culture Barrier Integrity, Bacterial Sensing and Inflammatory Cytokines.

Probiotic bacteria modulate macrophage immune inflammatory responses, with functional cytokine responses determined by macrophage subset polarisation, stimulation and probiotic strain. Mucosal macrophages exhibit subset functional heterogeneity but are organised in a 3-dimensional tissue, over-laid by barrier epithelial cells. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the probiotic strain Shirota (LcS) on macrophage-epithelial cell cytokine responses, pattern recognition receptor (PRR) expression and LPS responses and the impacts on barrier integrity.

A Novel Lactic Acid Bacteria Mixture: Macrophage-Targeted Prophylactic Intervention in Colorectal Cancer Management.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer. Its onset from chronic inflammation is widely accepted. Moreover, dysbiosis plays an undeniable role, thus the use of probiotics in CRC has been suggested.

Macrophage subsets exhibit distinct E. coli-LPS tolerisable cytokines associated with the negative regulators, IRAK-M and Tollip.

Macrophages (Mϕs) play a central role in mucosal immunity by pathogen sensing and instruction of adaptive immune responses. Prior challenge to endotoxin can render Mφs refractory to secondary exposure, suppressing the inflammatory response. Previous studies demonstrated a differential subset-specific sensitivity to endotoxin tolerance (ET), mediated by LPS from the oral pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG).

Evaluation of the microbial community, acidity and proximate composition of akamu, a fermented maize food.

Background: Akamu is a lactic acid-fermented cereal-based food that constitutes a major infant complementary food in most West African countries. The identities of LAB populations from DGGE analysis and conventionally isolated LAB and yeasts from traditionally fermented akamu were confirmed by PCR sequencing analysis. The relationships between pH, acidity and lactic acid levels and proximate composition of the akamu samples were investigated.

Probiotics, prebiotics and immunomodulation of gut mucosal defences: homeostasis and immunopathology.

Probiotics are beneficial microbes that confer a realistic health benefit on the host, which in combination with prebiotics, (indigestible dietary fibre/carbohydrate), also confer a health benefit on the host via products resulting from anaerobic fermentation. There is a growing body of evidence documenting the immune-modulatory ability of probiotic bacteria, it is therefore reasonable to suggest that this is potentiated via a combination of prebiotics and probiotics as a symbiotic mix. The need for probiotic formulations has been appreciated for the health benefits in "topping up your good bacteria" or indeed in an attempt to normalise the dysbiotic microbiota associated with immunopathology.