Therapeutic effects of a fermented soy product on peanut hypersensitivity is associated with modulation of T-helper type 1 and T-helper type 2 responses.
BACKGROUND
ImmuBalance is a koji fungus (Aspergillus oryzae) and lactic acid fermented soybean product. This unique production process is believed to create a food supplement that helps to induce or maintain normal immune response.


OBJECTIVE
To assess possible therapeutic effects of ImmuBalance on peanut (PN) hypersensitivity using a murine model of peanut allergy (PNA).


METHODS
PN allergic C3H/HeJ mice were fed standard mouse chow containing 0.5% or 1.0% ImmuBalance (ImmuBalance 2X), radiation-inactivated 1.0% ImmuBalance (I-ImmuBalance 2X), or regular diet chow (sham) for 4 weeks, beginning 10 weeks after the initial PN sensitization, and then challenged with PN. Anaphylactic symptom scores, plasma histamine, serum PN specific-IgE levels and splenocyte cytokine profiles were determined.


RESULTS
While 100% of sham-treated PNA mice developed anaphylactic reactions with a median score of 3.3 following PN challenge, only 50% of ImmuBalance, 30% of ImmuBalance 2X and 40% of I-ImmuBalance 2X-treated mice developed allergic reactions with median scores of 1.0, 0.4 and 0.5 respectively, which were significantly less than that in the sham-treated mice (P<0.05). Plasma histamine and PN specific-IgE levels were also significantly less in all treated mice than in sham-treated mice (P<0.05). Furthermore, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 production by PN-stimulated splenocytes in vitro from ImmuBalance fed mice were markedly reduced compared with sham-treated mice, whereas IFN-gamma production was moderately increased. TGF-beta and TNF-alpha production were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
ImmuBalance protects against PN-induced anaphylaxis when administered as a food supplement in this model. Protection was associated with down-regulation of Th2 responses. This supplement may provide a potential novel therapy for PNA.
Zhang
T
T
Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Pan
W
W
Takebe
M
M
Schofield
B
B
Sampson
H
H
Li
X-M
XM
D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology; D010367:Arachis / Q000276:immunology; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000276:immunology; D001835:Body Weight; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000097:blood; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D021183:Peanut Hypersensitivity / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013025:Glycine max / Q000382:microbiology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D052179:Antigens, Plant; D016207:Cytokines; D028321:Plant Preparations; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006632:Histamine