Lactobacillus plantarum CJLP133 was isolated from Kimchi, a Korean fermented food, and its potential to improve mouse atopic dermatitis after onset was studied. Dermatitis was developed through house dust-mite extract application onto NC/Nga mice, and then CJLP133 feeding was started. CJLP133 suppressed dermatitis-like skin lesions and decreased high serum IgE levels through balancing between IL-4 and IFN-γ in serum. CJLP133 diminished skin thickening, mast cell accumulation into inflamed site, and lymph node enlargement. In lymph node cells, CJLP133 repressed secretion of T cell cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10. However, CJLP133 decreased ratios of IFN-γ and IL-5 to IL-10 in lymph node cells, while it did not decrease ratios of IL-4 and IL-5 to IFN-γ. Conclusively, CJLP133 exhibited therapeutic potential for atopic dermatitis in mice through orderly increment of type 1 helper T cell activation and regulatory T cell activation. These results suggest that CJLP133 could treat human atopic dermatitis.

Four Lactobacillus strains — Lactobacillus plantarum CJLP133, L. plantarum CJLP243, L. plantarum CJNR26, and Lactobacillus gasseri CJMF3 — were isolated from Korean fermented food or healthy infant feces, and their capacity to modulate cellular and humoral immune responses was studied. Feeding of the tested lactobacilli for 8 weeks did not alter the weight of and cell numbers in the spleen of mice. However, CJLP133 and CJLP243 strains increased the T lymphocyte population in the spleen of mice, while CJNR26 and CJMF3 increased the B lymphocyte population. In splenocytes treated with concanavalin A, ingestion of CJLP133 and CJLP243 promoted T lymphocyte proliferation and secretion of T cell cytokines, whereas feeding of the CJNR26 and CJMF3 strains enhanced B lymphocyte proliferation in splenocytes treated with lipopolysaccharide and plaque formation. These results suggest that CJLP133 and CJLP243 have immunostimulating activity through the enhancement of T cell activation, while CJNR26 and CJMF3 exhibit immunopotentiation through the increment of B cell activation.

UNLABELLEDLactobacilli isolated from Kimchi, a Korean traditional food, were tested for their capacity to modulate the T helper (Th) 1/Th2 balance. Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mouse splenocytes were cultured with 26 strains of lactobacilli; the highest IL-12 induction and lowest IL-4 production were then observed in 4 strains, including Lactobacillus plantarum CJLP55, CJLP56, CJLP133, and CJLP136. These strains produced a larger amount of IL-12, which enhances differentiation and activation of Th1 cells, in macrophage cell-lines more than positive control strains L. casei KCTC 3109(T) and L. rhamnosus GG, although they also induced production of IL-10, which is a suppressor of IL-12. Indeed, CJLP133-stimulated macrophages induced production of more Th1 cytokine IFN-γ and less Th2 cytokine IL-4 than KCTC 3109(T) and GG in co-cultivation with T cells. These findings suggest that lactobacilli from Kimchi may modulate the Th1/Th2 balance via macrophage activation in the hypersensitive reaction caused by Th2 cells.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONAllergic reactions including asthma and atopy are caused by predominance of Th2 response over Th1 response. Lactobacilli isolated from fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese, and Kimchi showed health-promoting activities. The present study indicated that several lactobacilli strains from Kimchi may reduce allergic reactions through macrophage-mediated induction of Th1 response.