Supplementation with oral probiotic bacteria maintains cutaneous immune homeostasis after UV exposure

Eur J Dermatol. 2006 Sep-Oct;16(5):511-7.

Abstract

Probiotic bacteria have been shown to modulate the immune system of the gut and protect against infectious and inflammatory diseases of the gastro-intestinal tract. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is known to alter the cutaneous and systemic immune systems implicated in the development of skin tumors. In this study we investigated whether oral probiotics are able to modulate the immune system of the skin using hairless Skh:hr1 mice exposed to an acute dose of UVR. We show that nutritional supplementation with Lactobacillus johnsonii (La1) at 10(8) cfu/day for 10 days was able to protect against the UVR-induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity, the decreased epidermal Langerhans cell density and the increased IL-10 serum levels. In the absence of UV exposure, probiotic bacteria had no detectable effect on the immune system of the skin, thus acting only to re-establish skin homeostasis. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that ingested probiotic bacteria can maintain cutaneous immune capacity after UV exposure.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dermatitis, Contact / immunology
  • Female
  • Homeostasis / drug effects
  • Homeostasis / radiation effects
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects
  • Immunity, Innate / radiation effects
  • Inflammation / physiopathology
  • Interleukin-10 / blood
  • Lactobacillus
  • Langerhans Cells / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Hairless
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Probiotics / therapeutic use*
  • Skin Physiological Phenomena / drug effects*
  • Skin Physiological Phenomena / radiation effects
  • Ultraviolet Rays*

Substances

  • Interleukin-10