Evaluating the Effect of Food and Human-origin Lactobacillus plantarumstrains on Produced Cytokine Profile Compared with that of Standard Ones

Background and Objectives: Immunomodulatory effects and clinical health benefits of probiotics have been attractive in the treatment of various diseases caused by imbalanced production of cytokines. Materials and Methods: In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of wild strains of Lactobacillus (L) plantarum (PL4 and PT10 from food products; PF11 from human feces) with probiotic potential, on the production of several cytokines including IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IFN-γ and TNF-α, compared with standard probiotic strains L. plantarum ATCC 14917 (PATCC) and L. acidophilus ATCC 4356.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were treated with cell debris and cell extract of both strains with and without Human anti CD3/CD28 T Cell Activator Beads in order to determine immunomodulatory effects of the strains. The amounts of the cytokines were determined in culture supernatants after 48hrsby LEGENDplexTM Human Th Cytokine Panel (13-plex) using flow cytometer.Results: Bacterial cell debris and extract had no stimulatory or suppressive effects on the Th1 related cytokines and only some strains increased IL-10 and decreased IL-6 production significantly. When PBMC pretreated with bacterial cell debris or extracts was stimulated with anti CD3/CD28 beads, IL-10 was mostly affected by cell extracts while debris and extract of PT10, PATCC and AATCC strains and the extracts of PL4 and PF11 down-regulated IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-13 and IL-17F. Debris of PL4 and PF11 strains exerted pro-inflammatory effects and increased some Th1 and Th17 related cytokines while pretreatment with PL4 extract and PT10 debris/extract significantly induced lower levels of Th1, Th2 and Th17 related cytokines in stimulated PBMCs, implying an anti-inflammatory potential of these elements. Conclusion: Significant differences among the effectsof the strains, confirmed strain dependency of their immunomodulatory properties. Strain PT10 with anti-inflammatory properties might be applicable in allergic or autoimmune diseases to modulate immune responses and production of cytokines, after further in vitro/in vivo investigations.