title: Allergy therapy by intranasal administration with recombinant Lactococcus lactis Producing bovine beta-lactoglobulin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the last years, the use of probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has been proposed as an attractive alternative for the management of allergic diseases. A partial prevention from sensitization to bovine beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), one of the major cows' milk allergens, could be achieved in mice after intranasal administration with a recombinant LAB strain, Lactococcus lactis, producing BLG (LL-BLG). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the LL-BLG strain in a therapeutic protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of mice were first orally sensitized to cows' milk and then intranasally administered with either the LL-BLG strain, BLG protein alone or saline solution. Serum samples were collected to analyze BLG-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a, and mice were further intranasally challenged with BLG to elicit a specific allergic reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with LL-BLG, but not with BLG alone, contributed to diminish IgG1 production in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. This was associated with decreased IL-4 production and enhanced IFN-gamma production by BLG-reactivated splenocytes, suggesting a switch from Th2- to Th1-immune response. Furthermore, we observed that administration of LL-BLG or LL locally reduced the allergic reaction induced after intranasal challenge, as evidenced by decreased release of IL-4 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary results demonstrate the efficiency of the intranasal administration of LL-BLG for specific therapy against cows' milk-related allergy.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR0496, Unité d'Immuno-Allergie Alimentaire, CEA-SPI, iBiTecS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
authors.forename: Naima G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Cortes-Perez
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ah-Leung
authors.forename: Luis G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Bermúdez-Humarán
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corthier
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langella
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wal
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adel-Patient