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Monoassociation with probiotic Lactobacillus delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 stimulates the immune system and protects germfree mice against Listeria monocytogenes infection

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Abstract

In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of Lactobacillus delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 on the resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection in gnotobiotic mice. Germfree mice or monoassociated mice were infected with L. monocytogenes, and the microbiological and immunological responses were evaluated after 1, 3, and 5 days of infection. Monoassociation with L. delbrueckii was capable of protecting mice against death caused by L. monocytogenes and induced a faster clearance of the bacteria in the liver, spleen, and peritoneal cavity at days 1, 3, and 5 post-infection. Also, monoassociated mice displayed less liver injury than germfree mice. The production of TNF-α in the serum, peritoneal cavity, and gut was augmented in monoassociated mice. Likewise, the levels of IFN-γ found on supernatants of spleen cells cultures were higher after the monoassociation. In addition, increased production of nitric oxide in peritoneal cell cultures supernatants and in serum was observed in mice that received L. delbrueckii. The monoassociation with L. delbrueckii induced higher production of IL-10 in the mucosal immune system. We conclude that monoassociation with L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 protects mice from death caused by L. monocytogenes infection by favoring effector responses while preventing their immunopathological consequences.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Dr. Célia Alencar de Morais for supplying L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 and to Antonio Mesquita Vaz for excellent animal care. This work was supported by FAPEMIG grant numbers CBB 2818/97 and 2409/03, and by CNPq grant number 306200/2006-6. LMdosS is a CAPES fellow, RMEA., JRN, and LQV are CNPq fellows.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas/ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil

    Liliane Martins dos Santos, Mônica Morais Santos, Humberto Pereira de Souza Silva & Leda Quercia Vieira

  2. Departamento de Patologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas/ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil

    Rosa Maria Esteves Arantes

  3. Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas/ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil

    Jacques Robert Nicoli

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  1. Liliane Martins dos Santos
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  2. Mônica Morais Santos
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  3. Humberto Pereira de Souza Silva
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Correspondence to Leda Quercia Vieira.

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dos Santos, L.M., Santos, M.M., de Souza Silva, H.P. et al. Monoassociation with probiotic Lactobacillus delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 stimulates the immune system and protects germfree mice against Listeria monocytogenes infection. Med Microbiol Immunol 200, 29–38 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00430-010-0170-1

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