AUTHOR=Yamashita Maya , Matsumoto Kurumi , Endo Tsutomu , Ukibe Ken , Hosoya Tomohiro , Matsubara Yumi , Nakagawa Hisako , Sakai Fumihiko , Miyazaki Tadaaki 

TITLE=Preventive Effect of Lactobacillus helveticus SBT2171 on Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01159

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2017.01159

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>We recently reported that the intraperitoneal inoculation of <italic>Lactobacillus helveticus</italic> SBT2171 inhibited the development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, we evaluated the effect of the oral administration of <italic>L. helveticus</italic> SBT2171 on CIA development and on the regulation of antigen-specific antibody production and inflammatory immune cells, which have been implicated in the development of RA. Both oral administration and intraperitoneal inoculation of <italic>L. helveticus</italic> SBT2171 reduced joint swelling, body weight loss, and the serum level of bovine type II collagen (CII)-specific antibodies in the CIA mouse model. The intraperitoneal inoculation also decreased the arthritis incidence, joint damage, and serum level of interleukin (IL)-6. In addition, the numbers of total immune cells, total B cells, germinal center B cells, and CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells in the draining lymph nodes were decreased following intraperitoneal inoculation of <italic>L. helveticus</italic> SBT2171. These findings demonstrate the ability of <italic>L. helveticus</italic> SBT2171 to downregulate the abundance of immune cells and the subsequent production of CII-specific antibodies and IL-6, thereby suppressing the CIA symptoms, indicating its potential for use in the prevention of RA.</p>