title: Supplementation of the fermented soy product ImmuBalance™ effectively reduces itching behavior of atopic NC/Tnd mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Effects of probiotics on the prevention of atopic diseases have been proposed recently. Although we have already reported the suppressive effects of the probiotic, ImmuBalance™, on a mouse model for peanuts allergy, its influence on atopic diseases remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Potential efficacy of ImmuBalance™, which is the fermented soy product, on treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) was investigated using a mouse model for human AD, NC/Tnd mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  For in vivo study, ImmuBalance containing chow or a control diet were fed to NC/Tnd mice with moderate dermatitis for 2 weeks. Topical application of FK506 ointment was used as a positive control. Clinical skin severity scores, scratching behaviors, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), and histological features were analyzed. For in vitro study, suppressive effect of ImmuBalance™ on nerve growth factor (NGF)-activated neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical skin severity scores of the mice fed with ImmuBalance containing chow were gradually reduced as well as the mice treated with FK506. Feeding with ImmuBalance completely inhibited the increase in scratching behavior of NC/Tnd mice. The value of TEWL of NC/Tnd mice fed with ImmuBalance was significantly decreased. In addition, histological examination revealed that application of ImmuBalance decreased the number of PGP9.5-positive neuronal fibers in the lesional skin. When ImmuBalance extract was added to the culture, NGF-activated neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells was diminished through the inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase phosphorylation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ImmuBalance could exhibit favorable alterations on AD symptoms, particularly through down regulation of the itch sensation.
authors: Laboratory of Veterinary Molecular Pathology and Therapeutics, Division of Animal Life Science, Institute of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Matsuda
authors: Akane
authors: A
authors: Tanaka
authors: Weijun
authors: W
authors: Pan
authors: Noriko
authors: N
authors: Okamoto
authors: Kumiko
authors: K
authors: Oida
authors: Nobuyuki
authors: N
authors: Kingyo
authors: Yosuke
authors: Y
authors: Amagai
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Xia
authors: Hyosun
authors: H
authors: Jang
authors: Sho
authors: S
authors: Nishikawa
authors: Naoki
authors: N
authors: Kajiwara
authors: Ginnae
authors: G
authors: Ahn
authors: Keitaro
authors: K
authors: Ohmori
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005285:Fermentation; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013025:Glycine max / Q000378:metabolism*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D016559:Tacrolimus