Streptococcus thermophilus alters the expression of genes associated with innate and adaptive immunity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

PLoS One. 2020 Feb 11;15(2):e0228531. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228531. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Consumption of probiotics contributes to a healthy microbiome of the GIT leading to many health benefits. They also contribute to the modulation of the immune system and are becoming popular for the treatment of a number of immune and inflammatory diseases. The main objective of this study was to evaluate anti-inflammatory and modulatory properties of Streptococcus thermophilus. We used peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors and assessed modifications in the mRNA expression of their genes related to innate and adaptive immune system. Our results showed strong immune modulatory effects of S. thermophilus 285 to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with an array of anti-inflammatory properties. S. thermophilus 285 reduced mRNA expression in a number of inflammatory immune mediators and markers, and upregulated a few of immune markers. S. thermophilus is used in the dairy industry, survives during cold storage, tolerates well upon ingesting, and their consumption may have beneficial effects with potential implications in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity / drug effects
  • Adaptive Immunity / genetics*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokines / genetics
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects
  • Immunity, Innate / genetics*
  • Immunologic Factors / genetics
  • Immunologic Factors / metabolism
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / microbiology*
  • Probiotics / pharmacology*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Streptococcus thermophilus / physiology*

Substances

  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines
  • Immunologic Factors

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.