Multi-Species Probiotic Modulates Cytokine Production and the Interplay between Immune and Colon Cancer Cells

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of a multi-species probiotic (MSP) on cytokine production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their immune dialogue with HT-29 colon cancer cells. PBMCs were incubated with MSP and their effect on cell proliferation and TNFα, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IFNγ, IL-10, and IL-1ra production was evaluated. The impact of MSP on the cytokine production by PBMC stimulated by HT-29 cells was detected. Not-stimulated PBMC incubated with MSP showed increased production of TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, but no change in IL-6, IFNγ, and IL-1ra. The stimulatory effect of MSP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-promoted PBMC was less pronounced for TNFα, IL-1β, and IFNγ, and the IL-6 production was decreased; phorbol 12-myristate 13- acetate (PMA)-induced IL-2 and IFNγ secretion was inhibited. The addition of MSP to co-cultures of PBMC and HT-29 cancer cells caused a remarkable increase in TNFα and IL-1β secretion, with no change in remaining cytokines. The multi-species probiotics modulated cytokine production by PBMC and affected the cross-talk between PBMC and HT-29 cancer cells. We conclude that probiotics may serve as supplements to the therapeutic strategies applied for the treatment of chronic inflammatory and malignant diseases, especially colorectal cancers.