Enhanced Immunomodulatory Activity and Stability in Simulated Digestive Juices of Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 by Heat Treatment

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry Vol. 76; no. 5; pp. 918 - 922
• Main Authors: FUJIKI, Takashi, HIROSE, Yoshitaka, YAMAMOTO, Yoshihiro, MUROSAKI, Shinji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry 2012; Japan Society for Bioscience Biotechnology and Agrochemistry; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomimetic Materials - chemistry; Biomimetic Materials - pharmacology; Cells, Cultured; Colitis - chemically induced; Colitis - immunology; Colitis - prevention & control; Computer simulation; Dextran Sulfate - administration & dosage; dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis; Female; Freeze Drying; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastric Juice - chemistry; Heat treatment; Hot Temperature; Immunologic Factors - pharmacology; interleukin (IL)-12; Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 - immunology; Intestinal Secretions - chemistry; Juices; Lactobacillus plantarum; Lactobacillus plantarum - chemistry; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Probiotics - pharmacology; simulated digestive juice; Simulation; Spleen; Spleen - cytology; Spleen - drug effects; Spleen - immunology; Stability; Sulfates; Lactic acid bacteria; Heat treatment; Lactobacillus plantarum; Stability; Immunomodulation; Cytokine; dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis; Interleukin 12; simulated digestive juice; Sulfates; interleukin (IL)-12; Dextran; Sodium; Bacteria; Lactobacillaceae; Colitis
• DOI: 10.1271/bbb.110919
• ISSN: 0916-8451

This study reports the effect of heat treating Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 on its in vitro cytokine-inducing activity, on the stability of this activity in simulated digestive juices, and on its in vivo immunomodulatory properties. L-137 cells were harvested at the stationary phase with or without the subsequent heat treatment and then lyophilized. Heat-killed L-137 cells stimulated mouse spleen cells to produce more interleukin-12p40 than unheated L-137. The interleukin-12p40-inducing activity of unheated L-137 was significantly lower when incubated with simulated intestinal juice, but the activity of heat-killed L-137 cells was maintained. Furthermore, heat-killed L-137 was more protective than unheated L-137 in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. A heat treatment may therefore be effective for enhancing the immunomodulatory activity of L-137 cells.