Agent for inducing interferon production containing lactic acid bacteria

Abstract

This invention provides an IFN inducer comprising, as an active ingredient, lactic acid bacteria and capable of inducing IFN production, an immunopotentiating agent or prophylactic agent against virus infection comprising such inducer, and a food or drink product comprising such IFN inducer and having IFN-inducing activity, immunopotentiating activity, or prophylactic activity against virus infection. The agent for inducing IFN production comprises, as active ingredients, lactic acid bacteria that can activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and promote IFN production, such as Lactococcus garvieae NBRC100934, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris JCM16167, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NBRC100676, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae JCM1180, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae JCM11040, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NBRC12007, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NRIC1150, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM20101, Leuconostoc lactis NBRC12455, Leuconostoc lactis NRIC1540, Pediococcus damnosus JCM5886, or Streptococcus thermophilus TA-45.

1 . An agent for inducing IFN production comprising, as an active ingredient, lactic acid bacteria capable of activating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and inducing IFN production or a cultured or processed product thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 , wherein the processed product of lactic acid bacteria is a fraction containing nucleic acids. 
     
     
         3 . The agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 , wherein IFN is type I IFN or type III IFN. 
     
     
         4 . The agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 , wherein IFN is at least one member selected from the group consisting of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-λ. 
     
     
         5 . The agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the agent is orally administered, the lactic acid bacteria capable of activating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and inducing IFN production are highly tolerant to the gastric juice or intestinal juice and are capable of reaching the intestinal canal alive. 
     
     
         6 . The agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 5 , wherein the lactic acid bacteria capable of activating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and inducing IFN production are  Lactococcus lactis  JCM5805. 
     
     
         7 . An immunopotentiating agent comprising the agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . An agent for prevention or treatment of virus infection comprising the agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The immunopotentiating agent according to  claim 7 , which is an oral preparation. 
     
     
         10 . The agent for prevention or treatment of virus infection according to  claim 8 , which is an oral preparation. 
     
     
         11 . A food or drink product comprising the agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The food or drink product according to  claim 11 , which is a dairy product containing cheese or yogurt. 
     
     
         13 . A method of screening for lactic acid bacteria capable of activating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and inducing IFN production comprising culturing the lactic acid bacteria with bone marrow cells and detecting activation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and induction of IFN production,
 wherein, when plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are activated and IFN production is induced, the lactic acid bacteria are determined to be capable of activating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and inducing IFN production.   
     
     
         14 . A host microorganism for a recombinant vaccine comprising the agent for inducing IFN production according to  claim 1 .