Oral administration of Lactobacillus brevis KB290 to mice alleviates clinical symptoms following influenza virus infection

Abstract

Significance and Impact of the Study: This study demonstrated that oral administration of Lactobacillus brevis KB290 (KB290), a probiotic strain derived from a Japanese traditional pickle, could protect against influenza virus (IFV) infection in mice. Our results demonstrated that continual intake of KB290 for 14 days prior to IFV infection alleviated clinical symptoms such as loss of body weight and deterioration in observational physical conditions induced by the infection. The beneficial effects of KB290 consumption may have been elicited by the long-lasting enhancement of interferon-a production and the augmentation of IFV-specific immunoglobulin A production. AbstractLactobacillus brevis KB290 (KB290), isolated from a traditional Japanese pickle 'Suguki', has been reported to have immunomodulatory effects. We investigated whether oral administration of KB290 has protective effects against influenza virus (IFV) infection in mice. After 14 days of administration of lyophilized KB290 suspended in phosphate-buffered saline by oral gavage, BALB/c mice were intranasally infected with 2 9 MLD 50 (50% mouse lethal dose) of IFV A/PR/8/34 (H1N1). Prophylactically administered KB290 significantly alleviated the loss of body weight and the deterioration in observational physical conditions induced by the infection. In addition, 7 days after infection, the levels of IFV-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)A in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were significantly increased in mice fed KB290 compared with controls. Moreover, there was a significant elevation of serum interferon (IFN)-a in KB290 group mice, even at three and 7 days after infection, despite the administration of KB290 being stopped before IFV infection. Our results demonstrated that oral administration of KB290 before infection could alleviate IFV-induced clinical symptoms. Alleviation of clinical symptoms by KB290 consumption may have been induced by long-lasting enhancement of IFN-a production and the augmentation of IFV-specific IgA production.

Respiratory Antiviral Immunity and Immunobiotics: Beneficial Effects on Inflammation-Coagulation Interaction during Influenza Virus Infection

“…The YIT4064 strain reduced viral titers, improved the survival rate, and decreased the severity of the symptoms associated to the influenza infection. Similarly, it was shown that orally administered non-viable Lactobacillus pentosus b240 (27) or viable Lactobacillus brevis KB290 (28) were able to improve the levels of respiratory specific IgA and IgG antibodies of mice challenged with IFV. Moreover, the improved humoral response induced by these strains correlated with significant reduction of viral titers, body weight loss, and a decrease of the alterations of physical conditions induced by IFV.…”

Gram-positive spoilage bacteria in brewing

“…For instance, L. brevis KB290 was reported to be useful for early intervention in irritable bowel syndrome and to improve gut health (Waki et al, 2013), and particularly relevant for brewers are the studies conducted on L. brevis SBC8803 (Segawa, Nakakita, et al, 2008;Segawa, Wakita, Hirata, and Watari, 2008). For instance, L. brevis KB290 was reported to be useful for early intervention in irritable bowel syndrome and to improve gut health (Waki et al, 2013), and particularly relevant for brewers are the studies conducted on L. brevis SBC8803 (Segawa, Nakakita, et al, 2008;Segawa, Wakita, Hirata, and Watari, 2008).…”

Molecular Biosafety

“…Probiotics have also demonstrated some efficacy in alleviating clinical symptoms of some viral infections (e.g., influenza; Waki et al, 2014). Probiotics along with prebiotics (Quigley, 2010) have been used successfully as sole treatments and as adjuncts to standard antibiotic treatments and are thought to work as antibiotics mainly through probiotics competing with pathogenic bacteria as well as by boosting the host's immune system via probiotic interactions with the gut-associated immune system (Oelschlaeger, 2010).…”