ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We underwent this study to evaluate the immunomodulating effects of intragastric administration of bifidobacterium(BGN4) using murine model of peanut allergy. METHODS: C3H/HeJ mice were sensitized with 1 mg/dose of crude peanut(PN) extract with cholera toxin, intragastricly. Group I mice were pretreated with BGN4 for 14 days before PN snesitization, Group II were treated 14-days each before and during sensitization, Group III were sham treated PN sensitized mice, and Group IV were naive. PN-specific serum IgE levels and PN stimulated cytokine productions from splenocyte were measured in study groups. RESULTS: PN-specific IgE levels were significantly lowered in Group II mice compare to Group I or Group III. PN-stimulated IL-4 productions were also remarkably depressed in Group II mice. The ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 in Group II was the highest among experimental Groups, furthermore, PN-stimulated IL-12 production was only measured in Group II mice. The decreased levels of PN-specific IgE in Group II consist with decreased production of IL-4 and increased ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 in this experiment. CONCLUSION: BGN4 treatment, especially pre-and-during PN sensitization, seemed to have anti-allergic effect by suppressing PN-specific IgE production. And lowered production of IL-4, increased production of IL-12, and the increased ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 could be suggested as a part of immunomodulating mechanism of BGN4 treatment in this experiment.