Effect of Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 on immune function and serum albumin in aged and malnourished aged mice

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 342 - 350
• Main Authors: Kaburagi, Tomoko, M.Sc, Yamano, Toshihiko, M.Sc, Fukushima, Yoichi, Ph.D, Yoshino, Haruka, M.Sc, Mito, Natsuko, Ph.D, Sato, Kazuto, M.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-04-2007; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aging; Aging - blood; Aging - physiology; Albumin; Analysis of Variance; animal models; Animals; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Body weight; CD8-positive T-lymphocytes; cell proliferation; Diet; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Drinking water; elderly; elderly nutrition; Feces; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Immune response; Immune system; Immunity, Mucosal - drug effects; Immunization; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin A - blood; Immunoglobulin A - immunology; immunoglobulin G; immunostimulants; immunosuppression (physiological); Infections; Infectious diseases; kwashiorkor; Laboratory animals; lactic acid bacteria; Lactobacillus - growth & development; Lactobacillus - immunology; Lactobacillus - physiology; Lactobacillus johnsonii; Lactobacillus johnsonii La1; Male; Malnutrition; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mortality; Nutrition research; nutritional intervention; Nutritional Status; Older people; Probiotics; Probiotics - administration & dosage; Protein-energy malnutrition; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - blood; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - immunology; Proteins; Random Allocation; Rodents; senescence; serum albumin; Serum Albumin - analysis; splenocytes; Toxins; Variance analysis; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Japan; Aging; Albumin; Lactobacillus johnsonii La1; Immunoglobulin A; Protein-energy malnutrition; Proteino-energetique malnutrition; Immunoglobulins; Senescence; Ageing; Rodentia; Serum albumin; Lactobacillus johnsonii Lal; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Bacteria; Lactobacillaceae; Lactobacillus
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2007.02.001

Abstract Objective Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a serious nutritional problem that causes immune dysfunction in elderly people. Probiotic lactic acid bacteria may potentially modify immunity; however, there is little evidence to elucidate the influence of these bacteria on PEM in the elderly. Methods The immune modulation effects of lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 (La1) were examined in aged mice and aged mice with PEM. Twenty-month-old male 57BL6/n mice ( n = 28) were divided into four groups and received the following diet for 14 d: a complete diet (20% protein) without Lal (control) or with Lal or a low-protein diet (5% protein) to induce PEM, with or without La1. All mice were immunized with diphtheria toxin (DT) with alfacalciferol at 7 d and sacrificed 14 d after starting the experimental diets. Results Serum albumin concentrations and body weight, both of which were reduced by the low-protein diet, were ameliorated by La1 intake and were the same as in mice receiving the control diet. Anti-DT immunoglobulin (Ig) A in fecal extract was increased by La1 intake in mice receiving the complete and low-protein diets. Serum anti-DT IgA, IgG, splenocyte proliferation, and CD8+ T cells were reduced by the low-protein diet and restored by La1 intake. Conclusion La1 enhances intestinal IgA production and helps recover nutritional status and systemic immune responses in aged mice with PEM. It is possible that La1 may contribute to immune system recovery in immunocompromised hosts such as elderly humans with PEM.