title: Prophylactic effect of probiotics on the development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Probiotics are live bacteria that confer health benefits to the host physiology. Although protective role of probiotics have been reported in diverse diseases, no information is available whether probiotics can modulate neuromuscular immune disorders. We have recently demonstrated that IRT5 probiotics, a mixture of 5 probiotics, could suppress diverse experimental disorders in mice model. In this study we further investigated whether IRT5 probiotics could modulate the progression of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a T cell dependent antibody mediated autoimmune disorder in which acetylcholine receptor (AChR) at the neuromuscular junction is the major auto-antigen. Oral administration of IRT5 probiotics significantly reduced clinical symptoms of EAMG such as weight loss, body trembling and grip strength. Prophylactic effect of IRT5 probiotics on EMAG is mediated by down-regulation of effector function of AChR-reactive T cells and B cells. Administration of IRT5 probiotics decreased AChR-reactive lymphocyte proliferation, anti-AChR reactive IgG levels and inflammatory cytokine levels such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17. Down-regulation of inflammatory mediators in AChR-reactive lymphocytes by IRT5 probiotics is mediated by the generation of regulatory dendritic cells (rDCs) that express increased levels of IL-10, TGF-β, arginase 1 and aldh1a2. Furthermore, DCs isolated from IRT5 probiotics-fed group effectively converted CD4(+) T cells into CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells compared with control DCs. Our data suggest that IRT5 probiotics could be applicable to modulate antibody mediated autoimmune diseases including myasthenia gravis.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences and Immune Synapse Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Buk-gu, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Suk
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Ho-Keun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Ji-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jung-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sin-Hyeog
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Im
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008643:Mesentery / Q000276:immunology; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic