Lactobacillus acidophilus induces virus immune defense genes in murine dendritic cells by a TLR-2 dependent mechanism

Lactobacilli are probiotics that, among other health promoting effects, have been ascribed immunostimulating and virus preventive properties. Certain lactobacilli species have been shown to possess strong IL-12 inducing properties. As IL-12 production depends on the up-regulation of type I interferons, we hypothesized that the strong IL-12 inducing capacity of L. acidophilus NCFM in murine bone marrow derived DC is caused by an up-regulation of IFN-, which subsequently stimulates the induction of IL-12 and the dsRNA binding toll like receptor (TLR)-3. The expression of the genes encoding IFN-, IL-12, IL-10 and TLR-3 in DC upon stimulation with L. acidophilus NCFM was measured. L. acidophilus NCFM induced a much stronger expression of ifn-, il-12 and il-10 compared to the synthetic dsRNA ligand Poly I:C, whereas the levels of expressed tlr-3 were similar. By the use of whole genome microarray gene expression, we investigated whether other genes related to the viral defence were up-regulated in DC upon stimulation with L. acidophilus NCFM and found that various virus defence related genes, both early and late, were among the strongest up-regulated genes. The IFN- stimulating capability was also detected in another L. acidophilus strain, but was not a property of other probiotic bacteria tested (B. bifidum and E. coli nissle).The IFN- inducing capacity was markedly reduced in TLR-2 -/- DCs, dependent on endocytosis and the major cause of the induction of il-12 and tlr-3 in L. acidophilus NCFM stimulated cells. Collectively, our results reveal that certain lactobacilli trigger the expression of viral defence genes in DC in a TLR-2 manner through induction of IFN- .

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Weiss G, Rasmussen S, Zeuthen LH, Nielsen BN, Jarmer H, Jespersen L, Frøkiaer H