Abstract
In this study, we examined the effects of β-glucan and lactic acid bacteria, which are components of what are commonly called functional foods. Beta-glucan, lactic acid bacteria, and a mixture of the two were administered orally separately to three groups of BALB/c mice. Each group was then injected with the thyroglobulin antigen, and antibody titers were measured at different stages of immunization. Results showed that antibody production was enhanced at an early stage in mice administered a mixture of β-glucan and lactic acid bacteria as compared with those that received β-glucan or lactic acid bacteria alone. In addition, the mixture induced a significant increase in the phagocytic capacity of macrophages in vitro, for which the synergetic effects of β-glucan and lactic acid bacteria were observed. These results suggest that a mixture of β-glucan and lactic acid bacteria actively stimulates the gut immune system as compared with either component alone, and may be used as an adjuvant for immune antibody production.
