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. 2017 Feb 26;9(3):195.
doi: 10.3390/nu9030195.

Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 Simultaneously Enhances Systemic and Mucosal Humoral Immunity in Low Birth Weight Infants: A Non-Randomized Study

Katsunori Tanaka  1 , Takamitsu Tsukahara  2 , Takahide Yanagi  3 , Sayuri Nakahara  4 , Ouki Furukawa  5 , Hidemi Tsutsui  6 , Shigeki Koshida  7
Affiliations

Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 Simultaneously Enhances Systemic and Mucosal Humoral Immunity in Low Birth Weight Infants: A Non-Randomized Study

Katsunori Tanaka et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Probiotic supplementation has been part of the discussion on methods to enhance humoral immunity. Administration of Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 (OLB6378) reduced the incidence of late-onset sepsis in infants. In this non-randomized study, we aimed to determine the effect of administration of live OLB6378 on infants' humoral immunity. Secondly, we tried to elucidate whether similar effects would be observed with administration of non-live OLB6378. Low birth weight (LBW) infants weighing 1500-2500 g were divided into three groups: Group N (no intervention), Group L (administered live OLB6378 concentrate), and Group H (administered non-live OLB6378 concentrate). The interventions were started within 48 h after birth and continued until six months of age. Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels (IgG at one month/IgG at birth) were significantly higher in Group L than in Group N (p < 0.01). Group H exhibited significantly higher serum IgG levels (p < 0.01) at one month of age and significantly higher intestinal secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels (p < 0.05) at one and two months of age than Group N. No difference was observed in the mortality or morbidity between groups. Thus, OLB6378 administration in LBW infants enhanced humoral immunity, and non-live OLB6378, which is more useful as a food ingredient, showed a more marked effect than the viable bacteria.

Keywords: heat-treated; humoral immunity; non-live bacteria; probiotics; sepsis; serum IgG; stool secretory IgA.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Classification of subjects. N group = control; L group = live OLB6378; H group = non-live OLB6378; ITT population = intention-to-treat population; PP population = per-protocol population.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Serum IgG levels of the per-protocol population at birth to six months of age. (A) Serum IgG concentration from at birth to six months of age; (B) The ratio of serum IgG levels at each month after birth to serum IgG levels at birth. Horizontal lines represent median values. ** Statistically different based on a Dunnett test (p < 0.01). Serum IgG levels at one month of age: N vs. L, p = 0.0023; N vs. H, p = 0.0026. 1 M = one month of age; 2 M = two months of age; 6 M = six months of age; N = no intervention control; L = live OLB6378; H = non-live OLB6378.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Fecal SIgA levels of the per-protocol population at each month after birth. Horizontal lines represent median values. * Statistically different based on a Dunnett test (p < 0.05). N vs. L at birth, p = 0.024; N vs. H at one month of age, p = 0.031; N vs. H at two months of age, p = 0.0055. 1 M = one month of age; 2 M = two months of age; 6 M = six months of age; N = no intervention control; L = live OLB6378; H = non-live OLB6378.
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