Identification of a potent immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotide from Streptococcus thermophilus lacZ

Immunostimulatory sequences of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs), such as CpG ODNs, are potent stimulators of innate immunity. Here, we identified a strong immunostimulatory CpG ODN, which we named MsST, from the lac Z gene of Streptococcus (S.) thermophilus ATCC19258, and we evaluated its immune functions. In in vitro studies, MsST had a similar ability as the murine prototype CpG ODN 1555 to induce inflammatory cytokine production and cell proliferation. In mouse splenocytes, MsST increased the number of CD80+CD11c+and CD86+CD11c+ dendritic cells and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. We also analyzed the effects of MsST on the expression of regulatory cytokines by real-time quantitative PCR. MsST was more potent at inducing interleukin-10 expression than the ODN control 1612, indicating that MsST can augment the regulatory T cell response via Toll-like receptor 9, which plays an important role in suppressing T helper type 2 responses. These results suggest that S. thermophilus, whose genes include a strong Immunostimulatory sequence-ODN, is a good candidate for a starter culture to develop new physiologically functional foods and feeds.