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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #218713
Title: Effect of short term supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus LAFTI® L10 on resistance to influenza infection in young and old mice

Author
item Han, Sung Nim
item THOMAS, ADAM - JM USDA HNRCA @ TUFTS
item PETERS, EMILY - JM USDA HNRCA @ TUFTS
item ELLIOTT, JAMES - DSM NUT. PRODUCTS, NJ
item Meydani, Simin

Submitted to: Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2007
Publication Date: 4/5/2008
Citation: Han, S., Thomas, A., Peters, E., Elliott, J., Meydani, S. 2008. Effect of short term supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus LAFTI® L10 on resistance to influenza infection in young and old mice. Experimental Biology Annual Meeting. Abstract No. 450.4.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Impairment of the immune function in the aged animals contributes to a decreased ability to clear pathogens when infection occurs. Probiotics have been shown to improve the immune response in animal models. We, therefore, determined the effect of 8 wks of dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus (LBA) LAFTI L10 on lung viral titer and selected peripheral immune responses in young and old C57BL mice infected with influenza virus. Young (2-4 mo) and old (20-22 mo) male C57BL mice were fed an AIN 93 diet supplemented with or without 1 x 10**4 per day of L10 for 8 wks. Animals were intra-nasally infected with influenza virus and euthanized at 2, 5, 7 days post infection to determine viral titer and immune response. NK activity significantly increased while lymphocyte proliferation decreased following influenza infection. Young animals had significantly higher NK activity, and lymphocyte proliferation and lower lung viral titers compared to the old mice. LAFTI L10 supplementation resulted in a significantly higher production of IFN-gamma in the non-infected old animals. There was no significant effect of LAFTI L10 supplementation on viral titer, INF-gamma, and NK activity in the infected mice. In conclusion, 8 wks of LAFTI L10 supplementation increased INF-gamma production in non-infected old mice, but had no effect on influenza viral infection.