Distal Mucosal Site Stimulation by Kefir and Duration of the Immune Response

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Kefir is a fermented milk (drink) produced by the action of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and acetic acid bacteria. We recently reported a comparative study on the effect of kefir containing viable or non-viable bacteria by studying their modulatory activity on the intestinal immune response. A functional dose was established in a murine model and the pattern of regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines induced was also studied. The existence of a common mucosal immune system implies that the immune cells stimulated in one mucosal tissue can spread and relocate through various mucosal sites. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of an oral administration of kefir on the duration of the intestinal mucosa immune response and the modulatory activity in distal mucosal sites, specifically in the peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages and in the bronchial tissue. BALB/c mice were fed with kefir or pasteurized kefir at doses previously determined as functional for intestinal mucosa immunomodulation. Kefir feeding was stopped and the number of IgA, IgG, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IIFNγ and TNFα producing cells was determined in the lamina propria of small intestine immediately, and after 2 and 7 days of kefir withdrawal. IgA producing cells were also measured in the bronchial tissue of lungs immediately and 2 and 7 days after kefir withdrawal. Phagocytic activity of peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages was also determined. The oral administration of kefir or pasteurized kefir increased the number of IgA+ cells not only in the gut lamina propria, but also in the bronchial tissue, supporting the concept of local antibody secretion after remote-site stimulation in the intestinal tract. Both peritoneal and pulmonary macrophages were activated by kefir or pasteurized kefir feeding. Peritoneal macrophages were stimulated faster than pulmonary macrophages (for kefir). The enhanced phagocytic activity achieved by kefir or pasteurized kefir lasted longer for the peritoneal than for the pulmonary macrophages. Due to the increased bronchial IgA and phagocytic activity of pulmonary macrophages after kefir feeding observed in this study, the oral administration of kefir could act as a natural adjuvant for enhancing the specific immune response against respiratory pathogens. The parameters studied returned to control values within a week of cessation of kefir administration. This would suggest that there is a low risk of overstimulating the gut mucosal immune system during periodic consumption of kefir.