The in£uenceof the immunostimulation bybacterial cell components derived fromaltered large intestinalmicrobiota on probiotic anti-in£ammatorybene¢ts

Using murine macrophage-like J774.1 cells and fecal precipitates prepared from the feces of elderly volunteers whose acute inflammation had been inhibited by LKM512 yogurt consumption, we investigated the likelihood that immunostimulation by altered intestinal bacterial cell components contribute to the antiinflammatory benefits of this yogurt. Tumor necrosis factor-a production due to stimulation by fecal precipitates obtained during LKM512 yogurt consumption tended to be higher than due to stimulation by precipitates obtained from preconsumption (P = 0.0827), although acute phase response was suppressed by LKM512 yogurt consumption. We suggest that the anti-inflammatory benefits of LKM512 yogurt on elderly volunteers are independent of direct immunostimulation by the bacterial cell components derived from altered intestinal microbiota.