Immunomodulatory effects of a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota in healthy older volunteers

Dong, H., Rowland, I., Thomas, L. V. and Yaqoob, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6716-7599 (2013) Immunomodulatory effects of a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota in healthy older volunteers. European Journal of Nutrition, 52 (8). pp. 1853-1863. ISSN 1436-6215 doi: 10.1007/s00394-012-0487-1

Abstract/Summary

PURPOSE: There is growing evidence that probiotics confer health benefits to the host by modulating immune function, especially in older people, where immunosenescence is a feature even of healthy ageing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) on immune function in a healthy non-immunocompromised older population. METHODS: Thirty healthy old volunteers were recruited into a randomized placebo-controlled, single-blind crossover study. The volunteers were supplemented with the probiotic drink containing 1.3 × 10(10) CFU LcS or skimmed milk per day for 4 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of washout and were crossed over to the other treatment. Peripheral blood and saliva samples were collected at baseline and end of each treatment. RESULTS: Probiotic consumption was associated with a significant increase in natural killer (NK) cell activity relative to baseline and a significant decrease in the mean fluorescence intensity of CD25 expression in the resting T cells compared with placebo. Additionally, there was a trend towards an increased ratio of IL-10 to IL-12 relative to baseline after LcS intake. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of a probiotic drink containing LcS improved NK cell activity and tended to produce a more anti-inflammatory cytokine profile in an older population.