Probiotics as regulators of inflammation: A review | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 4 No. 7 (2014): July 2014 / Research Articles Probiotics as regulators of inflammation: A review Authors David W. Lescheid Freelance Medical Writer/Naturopathic Doctor, Medicoscientific Manager, Baden-Baden, Baden, Würtemburg DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v4i7.2 Abstract A substantial and increasing body of clinical evidence supports the role of specific strains and mixtures of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Several general mechanisms of action have been proposed, including supporting repair of hyperpermeable epithelial barriers, interfering with infection by pathogens, and restoring a healthful balance of commensal microbes to affect metabolism. Emerging evidence supports an additional role of probiotics as important modulators of immune system responses, including inflammation, at mucosal surfaces. In particular, by preventing or repairing ‘leaky’ epithelial barriers, probiotics can indirectly affect the inflammatory response by negating the source of pro-inflammatory stimuli associated with low-grade endotoxemia. They also enhance production of short chain fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties (e.g. butyrate) as well as increase synthesis of antimicrobial peptides that influence inflammation resolution pathways in the mucosa. Furthermore, probiotics and some of their secreted metabolic products can act as ligands for innate immune system receptors, directly influencing key pro-inflammatory pathways. They also stimulate the differentiation and activity of important immune cells (e.g., dendritic cells, T cells), and subsequently increase production of important regulatory cytokines, including interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b). Finally, there are limited but increasing animal studies and clinical trials demonstrating probiotics do affect common biomarkers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein, as well as signs and symptoms of the associated diseases suggesting they can have therapeutic benefit in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease. Keywords: probiotics, inflammation, endotoxemia, epithelial, cytokines, immune, butyrate, antimicrobial peptides Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2014-07-24 Issue Vol. 4 No. 7 (2014): July 2014 Section Research Articles License Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com