title: Effects of immunomodulatory supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus on airway inflammation in a mouse asthma model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma is a common allergic disease. In previous studies, probiotics improved the balance of intestinal microbes, reduced inflammation, and promoted mucosal tolerance. This study investigated whether oral administrations of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) inhibited allergen (ovalbumin or OVA)-induced airway inflammation in a mouse asthma model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The allergy/asthma animal model in this study was sensitization with OVA. After intranasal challenge with OVA, the airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness were determined by a Buxco system, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis with Liu stain, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Histopathologic changes in the lung were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both pre- and post-treatment with LGG suppressed the airway hyper-responsiveness to methacholine and significantly decreased the number of infiltrating inflammatory cells and Th2 cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum compared with the OVA-sensitized mice. In addition, LGG reduced OVA-specific IgE levels in serum. Oral LGG decreased matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression in lung tissue and inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LGG had an anti-inflammatory effect on OVA-induced airway inflammation and might be an additional or supplementary therapy for allergic airway diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Ta
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Peng-Jung
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Tzu
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: cshy095@csh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Ko-Haung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C501830:Mmp9 protein, mouse
keywords: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; airway hyper-responsiveness; asthma; probiotics