title: Validation of the dorsal air pouch model to predict and examine immunostimulatory responses in the gut.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate the use of the air pouch system to predict and examine early immune responses induced by the presumptive probiotics Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei B112, DC205, DC215 and DC412 strains in the gut mucosa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only the DC412 strain interacted strongly with the cells forming the air pouch lining tissue and induced early innate immune responses such as polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell recruitment, phagocytosis and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production that equal the respective responses induced by the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFB 1748. The strains exhibiting strong immunoregulatory activity in the air pouch also interacted strongly with the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). The strain DC412 exerts its effect on the intestine through stimulation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)2/TLR4-mediated signalling events leading to secretion of a certain profile of cytokines in which gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), TNF-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 are included. The probiotic Lact. acidophilus NCFB 1748 induces the same cytokine profile in addition to IL-12B, and this response is potentially mediated by the synergy of TLR2 and TLR9.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The strain DC412 possesses the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of a probiotic micro-organism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dorsal mouse or rat air pouch may be used as an alternative and rapid method for the initial discrimination and selection of potential probiotic Lactobacillus strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, Biology School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kourelis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zinonos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kakagianni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christidou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Christoglou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yiannaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kotzamanidis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Litopoulou-Tzanetaki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tzanetakis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yiangou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D019936:Probiotics; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors