This study investigated the
antiasthmatic and anti-inflammatory effects of Lactobacillus plantarum-CQPC11 (LP-CQPC11) on
ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic Balb/c mice. Administration of different doses of LP-CQPC11 (105 , 107 , and 109 colony-forming unit [CFU]/mouse) effectively reduced
airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and the lung W/D ratio in asthmatic mice. LP-CQPC11 treatment reduced the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the BALF and attenuated histologic
edema in asthmatic mice. Administration of LP-CQPC11 decreased the serum levels of OVA-specific
IgE,
IgE, and OVA-specific
IgG1. LP-CQPC11 treatment decreased the levels of inflammatory
cytokines (TNF-α, IL-4, IL-13, IL-5, and IL-6) in the BALF of asthmatic mice. In addition, LP-CQPC11 also elevated the
mRNA levels of Foxp3 and T-bet and decreased the
mRNA levels of Gata3 and RORγt in asthmatic mice lungs. Administration of LP-CQPC11 also reduced OVA-induced oxidative stress by improving the activities of GSH-Px, SOD, and
catalase in the lungs. Finally, LP-CQPC11 treatment also significantly decreased the activation of the NF-κB pathway to modulate the inflammatory reaction in the lungs of asthmatic mice. The results from this study clearly demonstrated that
oral administration of LP-CQPC11 exhibited outstanding activity in attenuating OVA-induced
asthma in a mouse model. Furthermore, LP-CQPC11 may be an effective microecologic agent in preventing allergic
asthma in the future. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Allergic
asthma is a common chronic
inflammation-associated respiratory disease. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known as a health product involved in modulating immune tolerance and play important roles in disease prevention and treatment. Many studies have reported that LAB, as probiotics, exhibits great antioxidation, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities and have health benefits in
gastrointestinal disorders. In fact, human studies have confirmed that Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains have an effective activity to reduce the risk of allergic
asthma. LP-CQPC11 was isolated from Sichuan pickled cabbages (a type of LAB-fermented vegetable product, also called Sichuan paocai) and was reported to reduce
d-galactose-induced aging in mice in our previous study. However, the
antiasthmatic and anti-inflammatory activities of LP-CQPC11 are unclear. The current study investigated the
antiasthmatic and anti-inflammatory effects of LP-CQPC11 on OVA-induced asthmatic Balb/c mice.