Immunomodulator, immunomodulator food

Abstract

An immunomodulator having suppressive activity on IgE antibody production is provided, comprising bacterial cells, or their decomposition materials. It can be taken as food. Bacterial cells such as Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Microbacterium, or bacterial cells of mutant strains of these bacteria, or decomposition products of these bacteria are used.

1 . A bacterial cell wall decomposition product having an immunomodulative activity, which is produced by dissolving the cell wall of at least one selected from the group consisting of bacteria belonging to Corynebacteruim genera, Brevibacterium genera and Microbacterium genera and mutant strains of these bacteria.  
     
     
         2 . A process for manufacturing the bacterial cell wall decomposition product as defined in  claim 1 , which comprises dissolving the cell wall of at least one selected from the group consisting of bacteria belonging to Corynebacteruim genera, Brevibacterium genera and Microbacterium genera and mutant strains of these bacteria.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein the bacterial cell wall is digested with glucosidase and/or endopeptidase.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to claims  2  or  3 , which comprises dissolving the cell walls with one of gulcosidase and endopeptidase in the medium of an isotonic solution, separating the protoplast generated by the enzymatic digestion of the bacterial cells from the medium, and furthermore enzymatically treating the dissolved material of the bacterial cells with the other of endopeptidase and glucosidase.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to any of  claims 2  to  4 , wherein a bacterium of Corynebacteruim genus is  Corynebacteruim glutamicum  or  Corynebacteruim herculis.    
     
     
         6 . The process according to any of  claims 2  to  4 , wherein a bacterium of Brevibacterium genus is  Brevibacterium flavum.    
     
     
         7 . The process according to any of  claims 2  to  4 , wherein a bacterium of Microbacterium genus is  Microbacterium ammoniaphilum.    
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the glycosidase is egg white lysozyme or N-acetylmuramidase SG.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to claims  2 , wherein the decomposition is performed by induction of lysogenic bacteriophage.  
     
     
         10 . The process according to claims  2 , wherein the decomposition is performed by autolysis.  
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the endopeptidase is bromelain.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the endopeptidase is one selected from the group consisting of seratiopeptidase, protease produced by  Streptomyces griseus  (K-1 strain), protease produced by  Bacillus subtilis,  Seaproze S produced by  Armillaria mellea  (Naratake in Japanese), trypsin, Achromobacter protease I and  Grifola frondosa  (Maitake in Japanese) metaloendopeptidase.  
     
     
         13 . The process according to claims  2  or  3 , which comprises dissolving the cell walls with one of gulcosidase and endopeptidase in the medium of an isotonic solution, centrifuging the solution to obtain the supernatant and enzymatically treating the supernatant with the other of endopeptidase and glucosidase.  
     
     
         14 . An Immunomodulator food or drink containing the bacterial cell wall decomposition product as defined in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         15 . An Immunomodulator food or drink containing the bacterial cell wall decomposition product as obtained by the process as defined in  claim 2 .  
     
     
         16 . A method of treating or preventing allergy, which comprises administering a pharmacologically effective amount of the decomposition product as defined in  claim 1  to a person suffering from allergy.  
     
     
         17 . Use of the decomposition product as defined in  claim 1  for manufacturing immunomodulator.  
     
     
         18 . A method of treating or preventing allergy, which comprises administering a pharmacologically effective amount of at least one selected from the group consisting of bacteria belonging to Corynebacteruim genera, Brevibacterium genera and Microbacterium genera and mutant strains of these bacteria to a person suffering from allergy.  
     
     
         19 . Use of at least one selected from the group consisting of bacteria belonging to Corynebacteruim genera, Brevibacterium genera and Microbacterium genera and mutant strains of these bacteria for manufacturing immunomodulator.  
     
     
         20 . An Immunomodulator food or drink containing at least one selected from the group consisting of bacteria belonging to Corynebacteruim genera, Brevibacterium genera and Microbacterium genera and mutant strains of these bacteria.  
     
     
         21 . A method of effecting immunomodulation, which comprises administering a pharmacologically effective amount of at least one selected from the group consisting of bacteria belonging to Corynebacteruim genera, Brevibacterium genera and Microbacterium genera and mutant strains of these bacteria to a person suffering from immunodeficiency.