Probiotic lactobacillus salivarius strains

Abstract

A Lactobacillus salivarius strain, AH102, AH103, AH105, AH109 or AH110 or mutants or variants thereof are useful in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of inflammatory activity especially undesirable gastrointestinal inflammatory activity, such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

1 . A  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain selected from any of strains AH102, AH103, AH105, AH109 or AH110 or mutants or variants thereof.  
     
     
         2 .  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain AH102 or a mutant or variant thereof.  
     
     
         3 .  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain AH103 or a mutant or variant thereof.  
     
     
         4 .  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain AH105 or a mutant or variant thereof.  
     
     
         5 .  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain AH109 or a mutant or variant thereof.  
     
     
         6 .  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain AH110 or a mutant or variant thereof.  
     
     
         7 . A  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the mutant is a genetically modified mutant.  
     
     
         8 . A  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the variant is a naturally occurring variant of  Lactobacillus salivarius.    
     
     
         9 . A biologically pure culture of a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain selected from any of strains AH102, AH103, AH105, AH109 or AH110.  
     
     
         10 . A  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1  in the form of viable cells.  
     
     
         11 . A  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1  in the form of non-viable cells.  
     
     
         12 . A  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the strain is isolated from resected and washed human gastrointestinal tract.  
     
     
         13 . A  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the strain is significantly immunomodulatory following oral consumption in humans.  
     
     
         14 . A formulation which comprises at least one of the strains as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         15 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  which includes another probiotic material.  
     
     
         16 . A formulation as claimed in any of claims  14  which includes a prebiotic material.  
     
     
         17 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  which includes an ingestable carrier.  
     
     
         18 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the ingestable carrier is a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier such as a capsule, tablet or powder.  
     
     
         19 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the ingestable carrier is a food product such as acidified milk, yoghurt, frozen yoghurt, milk powder, milk concentrate, cheese spreads, dressings or beverages.  
     
     
         20 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  which further comprises a protein and/or peptide, in particular proteins and/or peptides that are rich in glutamine/glutamate, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a vitamin, mineral and/or trace element.  
     
     
         21 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain is present in an amount of more than 10 6  cfu per gram of the formulation.  
     
     
         22 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  which includes an adjuvant.  
     
     
         23 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  which includes a bacterial component.  
     
     
         24 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  to which includes a drug entity.  
     
     
         25 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  which includes a biological compound.  
     
     
         26 . A formulation as claimed in  claim 14  for use in immunisation and vaccination protocols.  
     
     
         27 . A food stuff comprising a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         28 . A medicament comprising a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         29 . An anti-inflammatory biotherapeutic agent comprising a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         30 . A method of antagonising and excluding proinflammatory micro-organisms from the gastrointestinal tract comprising administering a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         31 . A method for reducing the levels of pro inflammatory cytokines comprising administering a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         32 . A method for reducing the levels of IL-8 comprising administering a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         33 . A method for modifying the levels of IFNγ comprising administering a  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain selected from any one of AH102, AH103 or AH105.  
     
     
         34 . A method for modifying the levels of TNFα comprising administering a  Lactobacillu salivarius  strain AH110.  
     
     
         35 . A method of treating or preventing undesirable inflammatory activity or inflammatory disease in a subject which comprises administering to the subject the  Lactobacillus salivarius  strain as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         36 . A method as claimed in  claim 35  wherein the undesirable inflammatory activity is gastrointestinal inflammatory activity.  
     
     
         37 . A method as claimed in  claim 35  wherein the undesirable inflammatory activity is inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis; irritable bowel syndrome; pouchitis; or post infection colitis.  
     
     
         38 . A method as claimed in  claim 35  wherein the undesirable inflammatory activity is irritable bowel syndrome.  
     
     
         39 . A method of treating or preventing cancer in a subject which comprises administering to the subject a strain of  Lactobacillus salivarius  as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         40 . A method as claimed in  claim 39  wherein the cancer is gastrointestinal cancer or cancer due to inflammation.  
     
     
         41 . A method of treating or preventing a systemic disease associated with inflammation in a subject comprising administering to the subject a strain of  Lactobacillus salivarius  as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         42 . A method as claimed in  claim 41  wherein the systemic disease is rheumatoid arthritis.  
     
     
         43 . A method of treating or preventing an autoimmune disorder caused by inflammation in a subject comprising administering to the subject a strain of  Lactobacillus salivarius  as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         44 . A method of treating or preventing a diarrhoeal disease in a subject comprising administering to the subject a strain of  Lactobacillus salivarius  as claimed in claims  1 .  
     
     
         45 . A method as claimed in  claim 44  wherein the diarrhoeal disease is  Clostridium difficile  associated diarrhoea, Rotavirus associated diarrhoea, post infective diarrhoea or diarrhoeal disease due to an infectious agent such as  E. coli.