Immunosuppressive Effects of Two Probiotics, Lactobacillus Paracasei DSM 13434 and Lactobacillus Plantarum DSM 15312, on CD4+ T Cells  of Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Khadijeh Chakamian; Behrouz Robat-Jazi; Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi; Fatemeh Mansouri; Masoumeh Nodehi; Elahe motevaseli; Maryam Izad; Saeed Yekaninejad; Mahdieh Shirzad; Kiana Bidad; Mona Oraei; Bita Ansaripour; Ali Akbar Saboor-Yaraghi

doi:10.18502/ijaai.v22i1.12004

Khadijeh Chakamian Food Microbiology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Behrouz Robat-Jazi Food Microbiology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Mansouri Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Masoumeh Nodehi Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Elahe motevaseli Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Maryam Izad Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Saeed Yekaninejad Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahdieh Shirzad Department of Microbial Biotechnology, School of Biology and Center of Excellence in Phylogeny of Living Organisms, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Kiana Bidad Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mona Oraei Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Bita Ansaripour Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ali Akbar Saboor-Yaraghi Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v22i1.12004

Keywords: Immunoregulation; Lactobacillus paracasei; Lactobacillus plantarum; Multiple sclerosis; Probiotics

Abstract

T cells play an important role in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. In the present study, the immunomodulatory impacts of two Lactobacillus strains, L paracasei DSM 13434 and L plantarum DSM 15312, on the frequency and cytokine production of CD4⁺ T cells in MS patients were explored.

Thirty MS patients were enrolled in this study. The CD4⁺ T cells were isolated, cultured, and exposed to the media containing cell-free supernatants of L plantarum (group1), L paracasei (group 2), the mixture group of cell-free supernatants of both probiotics (group 3), and vehicle (control) group (group 4). The frequencies of T helper (Th) 1, Th17, Th2, and T regulatory type 1 (Tr1) cells and mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) of the associated cytokines were assessed using flow cytometry. The levels of interleukin 17 (IL-17), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) cytokines in supernatants of all groups were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The percentage of Th1 cells and the MFI of IFN-γ in Th1 cells (CD4+ IFN-γ+) in all three probiotic treatment groups were significantly decreased compared to the control group. However,
no significant changes were observed in the proportion and MFI of Th2, Th17, and Tr1 cells. A

significant decrease was observed in IL-17 secretion in the supernatant of cultured CD4⁺ T cells in all three treatment groups in comparison with control. The levels of TGF-β and IFN-γ were not significantly different among any of the study groups.

Collectively, cell-free supernatants of the lactobacilli showed an in vitro anti-inflammatory effect. However, further studies are needed to prove the real effects of probiotics on MS.