Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria derived from infant intestines may activate macrophages and lead to different IL-10 secretion

Abstract In this study, three strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria originally isolated from healthy infants, were tested for their abilities to activate RAW264.7 cells. Gene expression and cytokine production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) of RAW264.7 cells were evaluated. The activation of extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38, and nuclear factor-κB (NK-κB) were also assessed. These results suggest lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in infants may promote production of IL-10 in macrophages, conferring a protective effect in hosts suffering from inflammation. Dimerization of TLR2 and MyD88 and subsequent phosphorylation of the key downstream signaling molecules, such as MAPKs and NK-κB, may be one of the key underlying mechanisms of activation of macrophages by these microbes. Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli induced macrophages to secrete IL-10 in a different manner, which may relate to their abilities to activate key signaling pathways mediated by TLR2 and MyD88.