INV SUPERIOR JUBILADO
PERDIGON Gabriela Del Valle
artículos
Título:
Distal mucosal site stimulation by kefir and duration of the immune response
Autor/es:
VINDEROLA, CELSO GABRIEL; DUARTE, JAIRO; THANGAVEL, DEEPA; PERDIGON, GABRIELA; FARNWORTH, EDWARD; MATAR, CHANTAL
Revista:
European Journal of Inflammation
Referencias:
Año: 2005 vol. 3 p. 63 - 73
ISSN:
1721-727X
Resumen:
Kefir is a fermented milk (drink) produced by the action of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and acetic acid
bacteria. We recently reported a comparative study on the effect of kefir containing viable or non-viable bacteria
by studying their modulatory activity on the intestinal immune response. A functional dose was established
in a murine model and the pattern of regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines induced was also
studied. The existence of a common mucosal immune system implies that the immune cells stimulated in one
mucosal tissue can spread and relocate through various mucosal sites. The aim of this work was to determine
the effect of an oral administration of kefir on the duration of the intestinal mucosa immune response
and the modulatory activity in distal mucosal sites, specifically in the peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages
and in the bronchial tissue. BALB/c mice were fed with kefir or pasteurized kefir at doses previously
determined as functional for intestinal mucosa immunomodulation. Kefir feeding was stopped and the number
of IgA, IgG, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IIFNg and TNFa producing cells was determined in the lamina propria
of small intestine immediately, and after 2 and 7 days of kefir withdrawal. IgAproducing cells were also measured
in the bronchial tissue of lungs immediately and 2 and 7 days after kefir withdrawal. Phagocytic activity
of peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages was also determined. The oral administration of kefir or
pasteurized kefir increased the number of IgA+ cells not only in the gut lamina propria, but also in the bronchial
tissue, supporting the concept of local antibody secretion after remote-site stimulation in the intestinal
tract. Both peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages were activated by kefir or pasteurized kefir feeding.
Peritoneal macrophages were stimulated faster than pulmonary macrophages (for kefir). The enhanced
phagocytic activity achieved by kefir or pasteurized kefir lasted longer for the peritoneal than for the pulmonary
macrophages. Due to the increased bronchial IgA and phagocytic activity of pulmonary macrophages
after kefir feeding observed in this study, the oral administration of kefir could act as a natural adjuvant
for enhancing the specific immune response against respiratory pathogens. The parameters studied
returned to control values within a week of cessation of kefir administration. This would suggest that there
is a low risk of overstimulating the gut mucosal immune system during periodic consumption of viable kefir.