title: Saccharomyces boulardii stimulates sIgA production and the phagocytic system of gnotobiotic mice.
abstract: The effect of Saccharomyces boulardii on the immune system was evaluated, comparing germ-free Swiss/NIH mice monoassociated with the probiotic with germ-free mice. Saccharomyces boulardii colonized the gut of germ-free mice and survived the gastrointestinal conditions. An increase in sIgA production, both total and anti-S. boulardii, was observed in the intestinal contents of monoassociated mice when compared with germ-free controls. The number of Kupffer cells was significantly higher in monoassociated mice than in germ-free controls. In S. boulardii-monoassociated mice, clearance of Escherichia coli B41 was higher than in germ-free controls. TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-12 serum levels were higher at earlier time points in monoassociated mice when compared with germ-free mice. These results show that the yeast S. boulardii modulates the host immune responses. This effect may be of interest for improving the resistance to enteropathogenic bacterial infections.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cara
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Fretez
authors.forename: F Q
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nicoli
authors.forename: L Q
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012440:Saccharomyces; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma