Lactic acid bacteria as adjuvants for sublingual allergy vaccines

We compared immunomodulatory properties of 11 strains of lactic acid bacteria as well as their capacity to enhance sublingual immunotherapy efficacy in a murine asthma model. Two types of bacterial strains were identified, including: (i) potent inducers of IL-12p70 and IL-10 in dendritic cells, supporting IFN-gamma and IL-10 production in CD4+ T cells such as Lactobacillus helveticus; (ii) pure Th1 inducers such as L. casei. Sublingual administration in ovalbumin-sensitized mice of L. helveticus, but not L. casei, reduced airways hyperresponsiveness, bronchial inflammation and proliferation of specific T cells in cervical lymph nodes. Thus, probiotics acting as a Th1/possibly Treg, but not Th1 adjuvant, potentiate tolerance induction via the sublingual route.