title: Salivary IgA response to probiotic bacteria and mutans streptococci after the use of chewing gum containing Lactobacillus reuteri.
abstract: We investigated whether ingestion of probiotic bacteria could influence salivary IgA levels, specific anti-mutans streptococci IgA levels and specific antibodies towards the ingested probiotic bacterium. The study was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, where the test group (n = 11) received twice daily chewing of gum containing Lactobacillus reuteri (2 × 10(8)  CFU per dose) and the control group (n = 12) received placebo. Resting saliva was collected before and after 12 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks after end of treatment. Total salivary IgA concentrations were measured by ELISA. Specific IgA reactivity was determined using a whole-cell ELISA. Results were expressed as % IgA per protein in saliva. The level of total IgA% per protein increased significantly between pretreatment levels (13.5%) and follow-up treatment levels (14.4%) within the test group only (P < 0.05). No changes were seen in the control group during the trial. The level of probiotic-reactive antibodies decreased significantly between pre- and post-treatment samples (from 12.2% to 9.0%, P < 0.05) in the test group. Similarly, the level of specific mutans streptococci antibodies decreased significantly between pre- and post-treatment samples (P < 0.05) in the test group only (for Streptococcus mutans from 20.1% to 15.0%; for Streptococcus sobrinus from 7.4% to 5.3%). Ingestion of probiotic bacteria might influence the adaptive immune response of the host.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. dan.ericson@mah.se
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ericson
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamberg
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bratthall
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sinkiewicz-Enggren
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ljunggren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002638:Chewing Gum / Q000382:microbiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D052200:Limosilactobacillus reuteri / Q000276:immunology*; D010919:Placebos / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology*; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D010919:Placebos
keywords: Lactobacillus reuteri; mutans streptococci; probiotics; salivary IgA