Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 upregulates hyaluronic acid production in epidermal cells and fibroblasts in mice

• Published in: Microbiology and immunology Vol. 63; no. 9; p. 367
• Main Authors: Nakai, Hiroko, Hirose, Yoshitaka, Murosaki, Shinji, Yoshikai, Yasunobu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Animals; BALB 3T3 Cells; Cytokines - metabolism; Epidermal Cells - metabolism; Epidermal Growth Factor - metabolism; Female; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Hyaluronan Synthases; Hyaluronic Acid - metabolism; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-12 - metabolism; Lactobacillus plantarum - physiology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Skin; Spleen; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Up-Regulation - drug effects; skin; IFN-γ; Lactobacillus plantarum L-137; hyaluronic acid
• DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12725

Heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 (HK L-137), an immunobiotic lactic acid bacterium, has been reported to enhance IFN-γ production through induction of IL-12. In this study, we investigated the effects of HK L-137 on skin moisturizing and production of hyaluronic acid (HA), an extracellular matrix associated with the retention of skin moisture. Oral administration of HK L-137 suppressed the loss of water content in the stratum corneum in hairless mice. Treatment of primary epidermal cells with HK L-137 increased HA production. Supernatant from immune cells stimulated by HK L-137, which contained proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-12, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, upregulated HA production and hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) messenger RNA expression by BALB/3T3 fibroblasts via activation of transcription factor nuclear factor κB (NFκB). Although treatment of the supernatant with anti-TNF-α antibody (Ab) alone did not inhibit the HA production, combination of anti-TNF-α Ab with anti-IFN-γ Ab significantly inhibited the HA production. Thus, HK L-137-induced IFN-γ plays a critical role in upregulated HA production in collaboration with TNF-α. HK L-137 may be useful for improvement of skin functions such as moisture retention by inducing HA production.