Probiotic Bacteria as Mucosal Immune System Adjuvants

Abstract

Probiotic microorganisms have a positive impact on health and improve the host immune system. Studies in animals and humans have demonstrated that probiotic bacteria can immunomodulate the systemic and mucosal immunity, protect against enteropathogens or offer antitumoral activities, and improve health in immunosuppression by malnutrition or drug therapy. The probiotic bacteria interact with the intestinal epithelial cells, stimulate the intestinal immune cells and the immune cells of other distant mucosal sites. The safety of long-term consumption of probiotics or fermented milks and the influence of the bacteria-free fraction from fermented milk as gut mucosal immune adjuvant were established.