Abstract:
The present invention relates to non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms and their health benefits. For example, the present invention relates to compositions comprising non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms for use in the treatment of prevention of upper respiratory tract infections and/or their symptoms. Embodiments of the present invention can help parents to protect their children from such upper respiratory tract infections.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/884,514, filed on May 9, 2013, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2011/069692, filed on Nov. 9, 2011, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 10190819.2, filed Nov. 11, 2010, the entire contents of each of which are being incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms and their health benefits. For example, the present invention relates to compositions comprising non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms for use in the treatment of prevention of upper respiratory tract infections and/or their symptoms. Embodiments of the present invention provide means to help parents to protect their children from such upper respiratory tract infections. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Organisms that produce lactic acid as a major metabolic component have been known for a long time. These bacteria may be found in milk or in milk processing factories, respectively, living or decaying plants but also in the intestine of man and animals. These microorganisms, summarized under the term “lactic acid bacteria”, represent a rather inhomogeneous group and comprise e.g. the genera  Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, Pediococcus  etc. 
         [0004]    Lactic acid bacteria have been utilized as fermenting agents for the preservations of food taking benefit of a low pH and the action of fermentation products generated during the fermentative activity thereof to inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria. In addition, lactic acid bacteria have also been used for preparing from milk a variety of different foodstuff such as cheese, yogurt and other fermented dairy products. Quite recently, lactic acid bacteria have attracted a great deal of attention in that some strains have been found to exhibit valuable properties to man and animals upon ingestion. In particular, specific strains of  Lactobacillus  or  Bifidobacterium  have been found to be able to colonize the intestinal mucosa and to assist in the maintenance of the well-being of man and animal. 
         [0005]    In this respect, EP 0 768 375 discloses specific strains of the genus  Bifidobacterium,  that are capable to become implanted in the intestinal flora and may adhere to intestinal cells. These Bifidobacteria are reported to assist in immunomodulation, being capable to competitively exclude adhesion of pathogenic bacteria to intestinal cells, thus assisting in the maintenance of the individual&#39;s health. 
         [0006]    Research has also focused on the potential use of lactic acid bacteria as probiotic agents. Probiotics are considered to be viable microbial preparations which promote the individual&#39;s health by preserving the natural microflora in the intestine. Probiotics are deemed to attach to the intestine&#39;s mucosa, colonize the intestinal tract and likewise prevent attachment of harmful microorganisms thereon. A crucial prerequisite for their action resides in that they have to reach the gut&#39;s mucosa in a proper and viable form and do not get destroyed in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, especially by the influence of the low pH prevailing in the stomach. 
         [0007]    Meanwhile, research work is in part aimed at the provision of additional probiotics bacterial strains that exhibit new properties beneficial for man and/or animals, such as pets. 
         [0008]    As such, WO 2008042101 provides methods for reducing respiratory disease in children, comprising: providing a culture of  L. acidophilus;  providing a child at risk of developing respiratory disease; and administering the culture of  L. acidophilus  to the child at risk, under conditions such that the risk of developing respiratory disease is reduced. 
         [0009]    However, adding live probiotic bacteria to products so that they remain viable until consumption is a non-trivial task. In particular for products with longer storage times this is difficult to accomplish and may require additional technical efforts. 
         [0010]    Hence, it would be desirable to have available a composition that can offer the probiotic benefits while being easy to prepare and to store without loss of activity. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    The present inventors aim to provide a composition that helps parents to protect themselves and their children against upper respiratory tract infections. The composition should be easy to prepare and its activity should remain to be high, even though a product might be stored for longer times. The composition should allow treating or preventing upper respiratory tract infections safely without side effects. The time upper respiratory tract infections will last should be reduced. Also the risk of getting upper respiratory tract infections should be reduced. 
         [0012]    Hence it was the objective of the present invention to provide the art with a composition that addresses one or more of the needs expressed above. 
         [0013]    The present inventors were surprised to see that they could achieve this objective by the subject matter of the independent claim. The dependent claims further develop the idea of the present invention. 
         [0014]    Accordingly, the present invention relates to a composition comprising non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms for use in the prevention or treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. 
         [0015]    The present invention also relates to the use of non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms in the preparation of a composition to treat or prevent upper respiratory tract infections. 
         [0016]    The compositions of the present invention may be to be administered during autumn and/or winter. During this time the likelihood of getting upper respiratory tract infections is particularly high. 
         [0017]    For example, the compositions may be to be administered in the morning to reinforce the body&#39;s defense system against upper respiratory tract infections during the day. 
         [0018]    The composition of the present invention may be to be administered to humans or pets. Pets may be dogs or cats, for example. 
         [0019]    Children are very likely to catch upper respiratory tract infections since they come into close contact with many other individuals, e.g., in school or in kinder garden. 
         [0020]    Hence, the composition of the present invention may be to be administered to children, for example to infants or to young children. 
         [0021]    For humans, children are up to 18 years old. Young children are up to 12 years old and infants are children under the age of 12 months. 
         [0022]    “Non-replicating” probiotic micro-organisms include probiotic bacteria which have been heat treated. This includes micro-organisms that are inactivated, dead, non-viable and/or present as fragments such as DNA, metabolites, cytoplasmic compounds, and/or cell wall materials. 
         [0023]    “Non-replicating” means that no viable cells and/or colony forming units can be detected by classical plating methods. Such classical plating methods are summarized in the microbiology book: James Monroe Jay, Martin J. Loessner, David A. Golden. 2005. Modern food microbiology. 7th edition, Springer Science, New York, N.Y. 790 p. Typically, the absence of viable cells can be shown as follows: no visible colony on agar plates or no increasing turbidity in liquid growth medium after inoculation with different concentrations of bacterial preparations (‘non replicating’ samples) and incubation under appropriate conditions (aerobic and/or anaerobic atmosphere for at least 24 h). 
         [0024]    Probiotics are defined for the purpose of the present invention as “Microbial cell preparations or components of microbial cells with a beneficial effect on the health or well-being of the host.” (Salminen S, Ouwehand A. Benno Y. et al “Probiotics: how should they be defined” Trends Food Sci. Technol. 1999: 10 107-10). 
         [0025]    The possibility to use non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms offers several advantages. In severely immuno-compromised infants or young children, the use of live probiotics may be limited in exceptional cases due to a potential risk to develop bacteremia. Non-replicating probiotics may be used without any problem. 
         [0026]    Additionally, the provision of non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms allows the hot reconstitution while retaining health benefits. 
         [0027]    The composition of the present invention may be any kind of composition suitable for administration to humans or pets. Consequently, the composition may be a food product, a pet food product, a nutraceutical, a food supplement, a powdered nutritional composition, a food additive, or a drink. 
         [0028]    The upper respiratory tract infections may be selected from the group consisting of rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, nasopharyngitis, pharyngitis, epiglottitis, laryngitis, laryngotracheitis, tracheitis, or combinations thereof. 
         [0029]    The symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections may be selected from the group consisting of cough, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, low grade fever, facial pressure, sneezing, and combinations thereof. 
         [0030]    As upper respiratory tract infections are usually associated with discomfort and a loss of performance and concentration, there is a need to protect children against such infections. 
         [0031]    The inventors were surprised to see that, e.g., in terms of an immune boosting effect and/or in terms of an anti-inflammatory effect non-replicating probiotic microorganisms may even be more effective than replicating probiotic microorganisms. 
         [0032]    Additionally, non-replicating heat-treated La1 (NCC533, deposit number CNCM I-1225) induced defensin expression strongly. Defensins are one of the most important classes of antimicrobial peptides in humans. Defensins are produced by epithelial cells of the lung, skin, oral cavity, genitourinary, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. Among these, there is the family of β-defensins including the defensin 1 (hBD1) and 2 (hBD2). For example, it was found that heat-treated  L. johnsonii  (La1, NCC 533, deposit number CNCM I-1225) up-regulates hBD1 more strongly than its live counterpart. HBD1 displays antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria including  E. coli  and  Pseudomonas aeruginosa, H. pylori  (Nuding, S., et al., 2009, Microbes. Infect. 11:384-393) and also against yeasts such as  Candida albicans  (O&#39;Neil, D. A. 2003, Mol. Immunol 40:445-450) and viruses (human immunodeficiency virus) (Kota, S. Et al., 2008, J. Biol. Chem 283:22417-22429). Thus, these antimicrobial peptides will reinforce the mucosal barrier and consequently limit bacterial adherence and invasion. 
         [0033]    Consequently, the composition of the present invention may be for use in protecting children from upper respiratory tract infections. 
         [0034]    In particular, the composition of the present invention will allow parents to protect their children from upper respiratory tract infections. 
         [0035]    The composition of the present invention may also be for use in strengthening a child&#39;s ability to fight upper respiratory tract infections. An active lifestyle of children is very important for their development, but also involves contact with many possible sources of infections. Strong defensive mechanisms against unwanted infections will support their wellbeing. 
         [0036]    Consequently, the composition in accordance with the present invention may also be for use in helping children to get upper respiratory tract infections less often. The likelihood with which children will get upper respiratory tract infections may be reduced by at least 10%, at least 25%, at least 30%, or preferably at least 50%. 
         [0037]    Improved anti-inflammatory properties, improved immune boosting effects of the compositions of the present invention and/or an upregulated defensin expression by the composition of the present invention will reinforce defense mechanisms resulting in fewer upper respiratory tract infections. 
         [0038]    The composition of the present invention may also be for use in the reduction of time upper respiratory tract infections will last. For example, the time upper respiratory tract infections will last may be reduced by at least 10%, at least 25%, at least 30%, or preferably at least 50%. 
         [0039]    The non-replicating probiotics of the present invention consequently represent a safe and natural alternative to medication. 
         [0040]    The composition of the present invention may further contain prebiotics. Prebiotics may support the growth of probiotics before they are rendered non-replicating. “Prebiotic” means non-digestible food substances that promote the growth of health beneficial micro-organisms and/or probiotics in the intestines. They are not broken down in the stomach and/or upper intestine or absorbed in the GI tract of the person ingesting them, but they are fermented by the gastrointestinal microbiota and/or by probiotics. Prebiotics are for example defined by Glenn R. Gibson and Marcel B. Roberfroid, Dietary Modulation of the Human Colonic Microbiota: Introducing the Concept of Prebiotics, J. Nutr. 1995 125: 1401-1412. 
         [0041]    The prebiotics that may be used in accordance with the present invention are not particularly limited and include all food substances that promote the growth of probiotics or health beneficial micro-organisms in the intestines. Preferably, they may be selected from the group consisting of oligosaccharides, optionally containing fructose, galactose, mannose; dietary fibers, in particular soluble fibers, soy fibers; inulin; or mixtures thereof. Preferred prebiotics are fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO), xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), arabino-xylo oligosaccharides (AXOS), mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS), oligosaccharides of soy, glycosylsucrose (GS), lactosucrose (LS), lactulose (LA), palatinose-oligosaccharides (PAO), malto-oligosaccharides, gums and/or hydrolysates thereof, pectins and/or hydrolysates thereof. For example, the compositions may contain oligofructose, inulin or a combination thereof. 
         [0042]    The composition according to the present invention may comprise non replicating probiotic micro-organisms in any effective amount, for example in an amount corresponding to about 10 6  to 10 12  cfu/g dry weight. 
         [0043]    The compositions of the present invention comprise non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms in an amount sufficient to at least partially produce a health benefit. An amount adequate to accomplish this is defined as “a therapeutically effective dose”. Amounts effective for this purpose will depend on a number of factors known to those of skill in the art such as the weight and general health state of the child, and on the effect of the food matrix. 
         [0044]    In prophylactic applications, compositions according to the invention are administered to a person susceptible to or otherwise at risk of a disorder in an amount that is sufficient to at least partially reduce the risk of developing that disorder. Such an amount is defined to be “a prophylactic effective dose”. Again, the precise amounts depend on a number of factors such as the child&#39;s state of health and weight, and on the effect of the food matrix. Those skilled in the art will be able to adjust the therapeutically effective dose and/or the prophylactic effective dose appropriately. 
         [0045]    In general the composition of the present invention contains non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms in a therapeutically effective dose and/or in a prophylactic effective dose. 
         [0046]    Typically, the therapeutically effective dose and/or the prophylactic effective dose is in the range of about 0.005 mg-1000 mg non-replicating, probiotic micro-organisms per daily dose. 
         [0047]    In terms of numerical amounts, the “short-time high temperature” treated non-replicating micro-organisms may be present in the composition in an amount corresponding to between 10 4  and 10 12  equivalent cfu/g of the dry composition. Obviously, non-replicating micro-organisms do not form colonies, consequently, this term is to be understood as the amount of non replicating micro-organisms that is obtained from 10 4  and 10 12  cfu/g replicating bacteria. This includes micro-organisms that are inactivated, non-viable or dead or present as fragments such as DNA or cell wall or cytoplasmic compounds. In other words, the quantity of micro-organisms which the composition contains is expressed in terms of the colony forming ability (cfu) of that quantity of micro-organisms as if all the micro-organisms were alive irrespective of whether they are, in fact, non replicating, such as inactivated or dead, fragmented or a mixture of any or all of these states. 
         [0048]    Preferably the non-replicating micro-organisms are present in an amount equivalent to between 10 4  to 10 9  cfu/g of dry composition, even more preferably in an amount equivalent to between 10 5  and 10 9  cfu/g of dry composition. 
         [0049]    The probiotics may be rendered non-replicating by any method that is known in the art. 
         [0050]    The technologies available today to render probiotic strains non-replicating are usually heat-treatment, γ-irradiation, UV light or the use of chemical agents (formalin, paraformaldehyde). 
         [0051]    It would be preferred to use a technique to render probiotics non-replicating that is relatively easy to apply under industrial circumstances in the food industry. 
         [0052]    Most products on the market today that contain probiotics are heat treated during their production. It would hence be convenient, to be able to heat treat probiotics either together with the produced product or at least in a similar way, while the probiotics retain or improve their beneficial properties or even gain a new beneficial property for the consumer. 
         [0053]    However, inactivation of probiotic micro-organisms by heat treatments is associated in the literature generally with an at least partial loss of probiotic activity. 
         [0054]    The present inventors have now surprisingly found, that rendering probiotic micro-organisms non-replicating, e.g., by heat treatment, does not result in the loss of probiotic health benefits, but—to the contrary—may enhance existing health benefits and even generate new health benefits. 
         [0055]    Hence, one embodiment of the present invention is a composition wherein the non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms were rendered non-replicating by a heat-treatment. 
         [0056]    Such a heat treatment may be carried out at at least 71.5° C. for at least 1 second. 
         [0057]    Long-term heat treatments or short-term heat treatments may be used. 
         [0058]    In industrial scales today usually short term heat treatments, such as UHT-like heat treatments are preferred. This kind of heat treatment reduces bacterial loads, and reduces the processing time, thereby reducing the spoiling of nutrients. 
         [0059]    The inventors demonstrate for the first time that probiotics micro-organisms, heat treated at high temperatures for short times exhibit anti-inflammatory immune profiles regardless of their initial properties. In particular either a new anti-inflammatory profile is developed or an existing anti-inflammatory profile is enhanced by this heat treatment. 
         [0060]    It is therefore now possible to generate non replicating probiotic micro-organisms with anti-inflammatory immune profiles by using specific heat treatment parameters that correspond to typical industrially applicable heat treatments, even if live counterparts are not anti-inflammatory strains. 
         [0061]    Hence, for example, the heat treatment may be a high temperature treatment at about 71.5-150° C. for about 1-120 seconds. The high temperature treatment may be a high temperature/short time (HTST) treatment or a ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment. 
         [0062]    The probiotic micro-organisms may be subjected to a high temperature treatment at about 71.5-150° C. for a short term of about 1-120 seconds. 
         [0063]    More preferred the micro-organisms may be subjected to a high temperature treatment at about 90-140° C., for example 90°-120° C., for a short term of about 1-30 seconds. 
         [0064]    This high temperature treatment renders the micro-organisms at least in part non-replicating. 
         [0065]    The high temperature treatment may be carried out at normal atmospheric pressure but may be also carried out under high pressure. Typical pressure ranges are form 1 to 50 bar, preferably from 1-10 bar, even more preferred from 2 to 5 bar. Obviously, it is preferred if the probiotics are heat treated in a medium that is either liquid or solid, when the heat is applied. An ideal pressure to be applied will therefore depend on the nature of the composition which the micro-organisms are provided in and on the temperature used. 
         [0066]    The high temperature treatment may be carried out in the temperature range of about 71.5-150° C., preferably of about 90-120° C., even more preferred of about 120-140° C. 
         [0067]    The high temperature treatment may be carried out for a short term of about 1-120 seconds, preferably, of about 1-30 seconds, even more preferred for about 5-15 seconds. 
         [0068]    This given time frame refers to the time the probiotic micro-organisms are subjected to the given temperature. Note, that depending on the nature and amount of the composition the micro-organisms are provided in and depending on the architecture of the heating apparatus used, the time of heat application may differ. 
         [0069]    Typically, however, the composition of the present invention and/or the micro-organisms are treated by a high temperature short time (HTST) treatment, flash pasteurization or a ultra high temperature (UHT) treatment. 
         [0070]    A UHT treatment is Ultra-high temperature processing or a ultra-heat treatment (both abbreviated UHT) involving the at least partial sterilization of a composition by heating it for a short time, around 1-10 seconds, at a temperature exceeding 135° C. (275° F.), which is the temperature required to kill bacterial spores in milk. For example, processing milk in this way using temperatures exceeding 135° C. permits a decrease of bacterial load in the necessary holding time (to 2-5 s) enabling a continuous flow operation. 
         [0071]    There are two main types of UHT systems: the direct and indirect systems. In the direct system, products are treated by steam injection or steam infusion, whereas in the indirect system, products are heat treated using plate heat exchanger, tubular heat exchanger or scraped surface heat exchanger. Combinations of UHT systems may be applied at any step or at multiple steps in the process of product preparation. 
         [0072]    A HTST treatment is defined as follows (High Temperature/Short Time): Pasteurization method designed to achieve a 5-log reduction, killing 99.9999% of the number of viable micro-organisms in milk. This is considered adequate for destroying almost all yeasts, molds and common spoilage bacteria and also ensure adequate destruction of common pathogenic heat resistant organisms. In the HTST process milk is heated to 71.7° C. (161° F.) for 15-20 seconds. 
         [0073]    Flash pasteurization is a method of heat pasteurization of perishable beverages like fruit and vegetable juices, beer and dairy products. It is done prior to filling into containers in order to kill spoilage micro-organisms, to make the products safer and extend their shelf life. The liquid moves in controlled continuous flow while subjected to temperatures of 71.5° C. (160° F.) to 74° C. (165° F.) for about 15 to 30 seconds. 
         [0074]    For the purpose of the present invention the term “short time high temperature treatment” shall include high-temperature short time (HTST) treatments, UHT treatments, and flash pasteurization, for example. 
         [0075]    Since such a heat treatment provides non-replicating probiotics with an improved anti-inflammatory profile, the composition of the present invention may be for use in the prevention or treatment of inflammatory disorders. 
         [0076]    If long term heat treatments are used to render the probiotic micro-organisms non-replicating, such a heat treatment may be carried out in the temperature range of about 70-150° C. for about 3 minutes-2 hours, preferably in the range of 80-140° C. from 5 minutes-40 minutes. 
         [0077]    While the prior art generally teaches that bacteria rendered non-replicating by long-term heat-treatments are usually less efficient than live cells in terms of exerting their probiotic properties, the present inventors were able to demonstrate that heat-treated probiotics are superior in stimulating the immune system compared to their live counterparts. 
         [0078]    The present invention relates also to a composition comprising probiotic micro-organisms that were rendered non-replicating by a heat treatment at at least about 70° C. for at least about 3 minutes. 
         [0079]    The immune boosting effects of non-replicating probiotics were confirmed by in vitro immunoprofiling. The in vitro model used uses cytokine profiling from human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) and is well accepted in the art as standard model for tests of immunomodulating compounds (Schultz et al., 2003, Journal of Dairy Research 70, 165-173; Taylor et al., 2006, Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 36, 1227-1235; Kekkonen et al., 2008, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 14, 1192-1203). 
         [0080]    The in vitro PBMC assay has been used by several authors/research teams for example to classify probiotics according to their immune profile, i.e. their anti- or pro-inflammatory characteristics (Kekkonen et al., 2008, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 14, 1192-1203). For example, this assay has been shown to allow prediction of an anti-inflammatory effect of probiotic candidates in mouse models of intestinal colitis (Foligne, B., et al., 2007, World J. Gastroenterol. 13:236-243). Moreover, this assay is regularly used as read-out in clinical trials and was shown to lead to results coherent with the clinical outcomes (Schultz et al., 2003, Journal of Dairy Research 70, 165-173; Taylor et al., 2006, Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 36, 1227-1235). 
         [0081]    Allergic diseases have steadily increased over the past decades and they are currently considered as epidemics by WHO. In a general way, allergy is considered to result from an imbalance between the Th1 and Th2 responses of the immune system leading to a strong bias towards the production of Th2 mediators. Therefore, allergy can be mitigated, down-regulated or prevented by restoring an appropriate balance between the Th1 and Th2 arms of the immune system. This implies the necessity to reduce the Th2 responses or to enhance, at least transiently, the Th1 responses. The latter would be characteristic of an immune boost response, often accompanied by for example higher levels of IFNγ, TNF-α and IL-12. (Kekkonen et al., 2008, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 14, 1192-1203; Viljanen M. et al., 2005, Allergy, 60, 494-500) 
         [0082]    The composition of the present invention allows it hence to treat or prevent disorders that are related to a compromised immune defense. 
         [0083]    The composition described in the present invention allows it also to enhance a response to vaccines, in particular to oral vaccines. 
         [0084]    Any amount of non-replicating micro-organisms will be effective. However, it is generally preferred, if at least 90%, preferably, at least 95%, more preferably at least 98%, most preferably at least 99%, ideally at least 99.9%, most ideally all of the probiotics are non-replicating. 
         [0085]    In one embodiment of the present invention all micro-organisms are non-replicating. 
         [0086]    Consequently, in the composition of the present invention at least 90%, preferably, at least 95%, more preferably at least 98%, most preferably at least 99%, ideally at least 99.9%, most ideally all of the probiotics are non-replicating. 
         [0087]    All probiotic micro-organisms may be used for the purpose of the present invention. 
         [0088]    For example, the probiotic micro-organisms may be selected from the group consisting of bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, propionibacteria, or combinations thereof, for example  Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus diacetylactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Escherichia coli  and/or mixtures thereof. 
         [0089]    The composition in accordance with the present invention may, for example, comprise non-replicating probiotic micro-organisms selected from the group consisting of  Bifidobacterium longum  NCC 3001,  Bifidobacterium longum  NCC 2705,  Bifidobacterium breve  NCC 2950,  Bifidobacterium lactis  NCC 2818,  Lactobacillus johnsonii  La1,  Lactobacillus paracasei  NCC 2461,  Lactobacillus rhamnosus  NCC 4007,  Lactobacillus reuteri  DSM17938,  Lactobacillus reuteri  ATCC55730,  Streptococcus thermophilus  NCC 2019,  Streptococcus thermophilus  NCC 2059,  Lactobacillus casei  NCC 4006,  Lactobacillus acidophilus  NCC 3009,  Lactobacillus casei  ACA-DC 6002 (NCC 1825),  Escherichia coli  Nissle,  Lactobacillus bulgaricus  NCC 15,  Lactococcus lactis  NCC 2287, or combinations thereof. 
         [0090]    All these strains were either deposited under the Budapest treaty and/or are commercially available. 
         [0091]    The strains have been deposited under the Budapest treaty as follows: 
         [0092]      Bifidobacterium longum  NCC 3001: ATCC BAA-999=BB536 (deposited on Jan. 29, 2001 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0093]      Bifidobacterium longum  NCC 2705: CNCM I-2618 
         [0094]      Bifidobacterium breve  NCC 2950: CNCM I-3865 (deposited on Nov. 15, 2007 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0095]      Bifidobacterium lactis  NCC 2818: CNCM I-3446 (deposited on Jun. 7, 2005 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0096]      Lactobacillus paracasei  NCC 2461: CNCM I-2116 (deposited on Jan. 12, 1999 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0097]      Lactobacillus rhamnosus  NCC 4007: CGMCC 1.3724 (deposited in October 2004 at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2714, Beijing, China 100080) 
         [0098]      Streptococcus thermophilus  NCC 2019: CNCM I-1422 (deposited on May 18, 1994 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0099]      Streptococcus themophilus  NCC 2059: CNCM I-4153 (deposited on Apr. 24, 2009 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0100]      Lactococcus lactis  NCC 2287: CNCM I-4154 (deposited on Apr. 24, 2009 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0101]      Lactobacillus casei  CTP 31=NCC 4006: CNCM I-1518 (deposited on Jun. 12, 2008 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0102]      Lactobacillus casei  NCC 1825: ACA-DC 6002 
         [0103]      Lactobacillus acidophilus  NCC 3009: ATCC 700396 
         [0104]      Lactobacillus bulgaricus  NCC 15: CNCM I-1198=LFi31 (deposited on Apr. 2, 1992 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0105]      Lactobacillus johnsonii  La1: CNCM I-1225 (deposited on Jun. 30, 1992 at the Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75024 Paris Cedex 15, France) 
         [0106]      Lactobacillus reuteri  DSM17938: DSM17938 
         [0107]      Lactobacillus reuteri  ATCC55730: ATCC55730 
         [0108]      Escherichia coli  Nissle 1917: DSM 6601 
         [0109]    Strains named ATCC were deposited with the ATCC Patent Depository, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110, USA. 
         [0110]    Strains named CNCM were deposited with the COLLECTION NATIONALE DE CULTURES DE MICROORGANISMES (CNCM), 25 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 PARIS Cedex 15, France. 
         [0111]    Strains named CGMCC were deposited with the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun, P.O. Box 2714, Beijing 100080, China. 
         [0112]    Strains named ACA-DC were deposited with the Greek Coordinated Collections of Microorganisms, Dairy Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Technology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75, Iera odos, Botanikos, Athens, 118 55, Greece. 
         [0113]    Strains named DSM were deposited with the DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7 B, 38124 Braunschweig, GERMANY. 
         [0114]    Those skilled in the art will understand that they can freely combine all features of the present invention described herein, without departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed. 
         [0115]    Further advantages and features of the present invention are apparent from the following Examples and Figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0116]      FIGS. 1A  and B show the enhancement of the anti-inflammatory immune profiles of probiotics treated with “short-time high temperatures”. 
           [0117]      FIG. 2  shows non anti-inflammatory probiotic strains that become anti-inflammatory, i.e. that exhibit pronounced anti-inflammatory immune profiles in vitro after being treated with “short-time high temperatures”. 
           [0118]      FIGS. 3A  and B show probiotic strains in use in commercially available products that exhibit enhanced or new anti-inflammatory immune profiles in vitro after being treated with “short-time high temperatures”. 
           [0119]      FIGS. 4A  and B show dairy starter strains (i.e. Lc1 starter strains) that exhibits enhanced or new anti-inflammatory immune profiles in vitro upon heat treatment at high temperatures. 
           [0120]      FIG. 5  shows a non anti-inflammatory probiotic strain that exhibits anti-inflammatory immune profiles in vitro after being treated with HTST treatments. 
           [0121]      FIG. 6 : Principal Component Analysis on PBMC data (IL-12p40, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10) generated with probiotic and dairy starter strains in their live and heat treated (140° C. for 15 second) forms. Each dot represents one strain either live or heat treated identified by its NCC number or name. 
           [0122]      FIG. 7  shows IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios of live and heat treated (85° C., 20 min) strains. Overall, heat treatment at 85° C. for 20 min leads to an increase of IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios as opposed to “short-time high temperature” treatments of the present invention ( FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ). 
           [0123]      FIG. 8  shows the enhancement of in vitro cytokine secretion from human PBMCs stimulated with heat treated bacteria. 
           [0124]      FIG. 9  shows the percentage of diarrhea intensity observed in OVA-sensitized mice challenged with saline (negative control), OVA-sensitized mice challenged with OVA (positive control) and OVA-sensitized mice challenged with OVA and treated with heat-treated or live  Bifidobacterium breve  NCC2950. Results are displayed as the percentage of diarrhea intensity (Mean±SEM calculated from 4 independent experiments) with 100% of diarrhea intensity corresponding to the symptoms developed in the positive control (sensitized and challenged by the allergen) group. 
           [0125]      FIG. 10  shows that heat treated La1 (NCC533, deposit number CNCM I-1225) at 120° C.—15 sec strongly induces hBD1 mRNA in intestinal epithelial cells in vitro compared with other heat-treated strains. T84 cells were incubated for 4 h with the heat-treated strains. Gene expression of hBD1 was analyzed by real-time PCR. The bars represent the means±sem normalized to basal expression of non stimulated cells. 
           [0126]      FIG. 11  shows that a high temperature and short time treatment of La1 (NCC533, deposit number CNCM I-1225) tends to be the best to induce hBD1 mRNA expression. T84 cells were stimulated for 4 h with the live and heat-treated La1 (NCC533, deposit number CNCM I-1225) at 120° C.—15 sec or 85° C.—20 min. Gene expression of hBD1 was analyzed by real-time PCR. The bars represent the means±sem normalized to basal expression of non stimulated cells. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     EXAMPLE 1 
       [0127]    Methodology 
         [0128]    Bacterial Preparations: 
         [0129]    The health benefits delivered by live probiotics on the host immune system are generally considered to be strain specific. Probiotics inducing high levels of IL-10 and/or inducing low levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro (PBMC assay) have been shown to be potent anti-inflammatory strains in vivo (Foligne, B., et al., 2007, World J. Gastroenterol. 13:236-243). 
         [0130]    Several probiotic strains were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of heat treated probiotics. These were  Bifidobacterium longum  NCC 3001,  Bifidobacterium longum  NCC 2705,  Bifidobacterium breve  NCC 2950,  Bifidobacterium lactis  NCC 2818,  Lactobacillus paracasei  NCC 2461,  Lactobacillus rhamnosus  NCC 4007,  Lactobacillus casei  NCC 4006,  Lactobacillus acidophilus  NCC 3009,  Lactobacillus casei  ACA-DC 6002 (NCC 1825), and  Escherichia coli  Nissle. Several starter culture strains including some strains commercially used to produce Nestlé Lc1 fermented products were also tested:  Streptococcus thermophilus  NCC 2019,  Streptococcus thermophilus  NCC 2059,  Lactobacillus bulgaricus  NCC 15 and  Lactococcus lactis  NCC 2287. 
         [0131]    Bacterial cells were cultivated in conditions optimized for each strain in 5-15 L bioreactors. All typical bacterial growth media are usable. Such media are known to those skilled in the art. When pH was adjusted to 5.5, 30% base solution (either NaOH or Ca(OH) 2 ) was added continuously. When adequate, anaerobic conditions were maintained by gassing headspace with CO 2   . E. coli  was cultivated under standard aerobic conditions. 
         [0132]    Bacterial cells were collected by centrifugation (5,000×g, 4° C.) and re-suspended in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) in adequate volumes in order to reach a final concentration of around 10 9 -10 19  cfu/ml. Part of the preparation was frozen at −80° C. with 15% glycerol. Another part of the cells was heat treated by: 
         [0133]    Ultra High Temperature: 140° C. for 15 sec; by indirect steam injection. 
         [0134]    High Temperature Short Time (HTST): 74° C., 90° C. and 120° C. for 15 sec by indirect steam injection 
         [0135]    Long Time Low Temperature (85° C., 20 min) in water bath 
         [0136]    Upon heat treatment, samples were kept frozen at −80° C. until use. 
         [0137]    In Vitro Immunoprofiling of Bacterial Preparations: 
         [0138]    The immune profiles of live and heat treated bacterial preparations (i.e. the capacity to induce secretion of specific cytokines from human blood cells in vitro) were assessed. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from blood filters. After separation by cell density gradient, mononuclear cells were collected and washed twice with Hank&#39;s balanced salt solution. Cells were then resuspended in Iscove&#39;s Modified Dulbecco&#39;s Medium (IMDM, Sigma) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (Bioconcept, Paris, France), 1% L-glutamine (Sigma), 1% penicillin/streptomycin (Sigma) and 0.1% gentamycin (Sigma). PBMCs (7×10 5  cells/well) were then incubated with live and heat treated bacteria (equivalent 7×10 6  cfu/well) in 48 well plates for 36 h. The effects of live and heat treated bacteria were tested on PBMCs from 8 individual donors splitted into two separated experiments. After 36 h incubation, culture plates were frozen and kept at −20° C. until cytokine measurement. Cytokine profiling was performed in parallel (i.e. in the same experiment on the same batch of PBMCs) for live bacteria and their heat-treated counterparts. 
         [0139]    Levels of cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-12p40, TNF-α and IL-10) in cell culture supernatants after 36 h incubation were determined by ELISA (R&amp;D DuoSet Human IL-10, BD OptEIA Human IL12p40, BD OptEIA Human TNFα, BD OptEIA Human IFN-γ) following manufacturer&#39;s instructions. IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and TNF-α are pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas IL-10 is a potent anti-inflammatory mediator. Results are expressed as means (pg/ml)+/−SEM of 4 individual donors and are representative of two individual experiments performed with 4 donors each. The ratio IL-12p40/IL-10 is calculated for each strain as a predictive value of in vivo anti-inflammatory effect (Foligne, B., et al., 2007, World J. Gastroenterol. 13:236-243). 
         [0140]    Numerical cytokine values (pg/ml) determined by ELISA (see above) for each strain were transferred into BioNumerics v5.10 software (Applied Maths, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium). A Principal Component Analysis (PCA, dimensioning technique) was performed on this set of data. Subtraction of the averages over the characters and division by the variances over the characters were included in this analysis. 
         [0141]    Results 
         [0142]    Anti-Inflammatory Profiles Generated by Ultra High Temperature (UHT)/High Temperature Short Time (HTST)-Like Treatments 
         [0143]    The probiotic strains under investigation were submitted to a series of heat treatments (Ultra High Temperature (UHT), High Temperature Short Time (HTST) and 85° C. for 20 min) and their immune profiles were compared to those of live cells in vitro. Live micro-organisms (probiotics and/or dairy starter cultures) induced different levels of cytokine production when incubated with human PBMC ( FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ). Heat treatment of these micro-organisms modified the levels of cytokines produced by PBMC in a temperature dependent manner. “Short-time high temperature” treatments (120° C. or 140° C. for 15″) generated non replicating bacteria with anti-inflammatory immune profiles ( FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 ). Indeed, UHT-like treated strains (140° C., 15 sec) induced less pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-12p40) while maintaining or inducing additional IL-10 production (compared to live counterparts). The resulting IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios were lower for any UHT-like treated strains compared to live cells ( FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 ). This observation was also valid for bacteria treated by HTST-like treatments, i.e. submitted to 120° C. for 15 sec ( FIG. 1, 2, 3 and 4 ), or 74° C. and 90° C. for 15 sec ( FIG. 5 ). Heat treatments (UHT-like or HTST-like treatments) had a similar effect on in vitro immune profiles of probiotic strains ( FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5 ) and dairy starter cultures ( FIG. 4 ). Principal Component Analysis on PBMC data generated with live and heat treated (140° C., 15″) probiotic and dairy starter strains revealed that live strains are spread all along the x axis, illustrating that strains exhibit very different immune profiles in vitro, from low (left side) to high (right side) inducers of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Heat treated strains cluster on the left side of the graph, showing that pro-inflammatory cytokines are much less induced by heat treated strains ( FIG. 6 ). By contrast, bacteria heat treated at 85° C. for 20 min induced more pro-inflammatory cytokines and less IL-10 than live cells resulting in higher IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios ( FIG. 7 ). 
         [0144]    Anti-inflammatory profiles are enhanced or generated by UHT-like and HTST-like treatments. 
         [0145]    UHT and HTST treated strains exhibit anti-inflammatory profiles regardless of their respective initial immune profiles (live cells). Probiotic strains known to be anti-inflammatory in vivo and exhibiting anti-inflammatory profiles in vitro ( B. longum  NCC 3001,  B. longum  NCC 2705,  B. breve  NCC 2950,  B. lactis  NCC 2818) were shown to exhibit enhanced anti-inflammatory profiles in vitro after “short-time high temperature” treatments. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios of UHT-like treated  Bifidobacterium  strains were lower than those from the live counterparts, thus showing improved anti-inflammatory profiles of UHT-like treated samples. More strikingly, the generation of anti-inflammatory profiles by UHT-like and HTST-like treatments was also confirmed for non anti-inflammatory live strains. Both live  L. rhamnosus  NCC 4007 and  L. paracasei  NCC 2461 exhibit high IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios in vitro ( FIGS. 2 and 5 ). The two live strains were shown to be not protective against TNBS-induced colitis in mice. The IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios induced by  L. rhamnosus  NCC 4007 and  L. paracasei  NCC 2461 were dramatically reduced after “short-time high temperature” treatments (UHT or HTST) reaching levels as low as those obtained with  Bifidobacterium  strains. These low IL-12p40/IL-10 ratios are due to low levels of IL-12p40 production combined with no change ( L. rhamnosus  NCC 4007) or a dramatic induction of IL-10 secretion ( L. paracasei  NCC 2461) ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0146]    As a consequence: 
         [0147]    Anti-inflammatory profiles of live micro-organisms can be enhanced by UHT-like and HTST-like heat treatments (for instance  B. longum  NCC 2705,  B. longum  NCC 3001,  B. breve  NCC 2950,  B. lactis  NCC 2818) 
         [0148]    Anti-inflammatory profiles can be generated from non anti-inflammatory live micro-organisms (for example  L. rhamnosus  NCC 4007,  L. paracasei  NCC 2461, dairy starters  S. thermophilus  NCC 2019) by UHT-like and HTST-like heat treatments. 
         [0149]    Anti-inflammatory profiles were also demonstrated for strains isolated from commercially available products ( FIGS. 3A  &amp; B) including a probiotic  E. coli  strain. 
         [0150]    The impact of UHT/HTST-like treatments was similar for all tested probiotics and dairy starters, for example lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and streptococci. 
         [0151]    UHT/HTST-like treatments were applied to several lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and streptococci exhibiting different in vitro immune profiles. All the strains induced less pro-inflammatory cytokines after UHT/HTST-like treatments than their live counterparts ( FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ) demonstrating that the effect of UHT/HTST-like treatments on the immune properties of the resulting non replicating bacteria can be generalized to all probiotics, in particular to lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and specific  E. coli  strains and to all dairy starter cultures in particular to streptococci, lactococci and lactobacilli. 
       EXAMPLE 2 
       [0152]    Methodology 
         [0153]    Bacterial Preparations: 
         [0154]    Five probiotic strains were used to investigate the immune boosting properties of non-replicating probiotics: 3 bifidobacteria ( B. longum  NCC3001,  B. lactis  NCC2818,  B. breve  NCC2950) and 2 lactobacilli ( L. paracasei  NCC2461,  L. rhamnosus  NCC4007). 
         [0155]    Bacterial cells were grown on MRS in batch fermentation at 37° C. for 16-18 h without pH control. Bacterial cells were spun down (5,000×g, 4° C.) and resuspended in phosphate buffer saline prior to be diluted in saline water in order to reach a final concentration of around 10E10 cfu/ml.  B. longum  NCC3001,  B. lactis  NCC2818,  L. paracasei  NCC2461,  L. rhamnosus  NCC4007 were heat treated at 85° C. for 20 min in a water bath.  B. breve  NCC2950 was heat treated at 90° C. for 30 minutes in a water bath. Heat treated bacterial suspensions were aliquoted and kept frozen at −80° C. until use. Live bacteria were stored at −80° C. in PBS-glycerol 15% until use. 
         [0156]    In Vitro Immunoprofiling of Bacterial Preparations 
         [0157]    The immune profiles of live and heat treated bacterial preparations (i.e. the capacity to induce secretion of specific cytokines from human blood cells in vitro) were assessed. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from blood filters. After separation by cell density gradient, mononuclear cells were collected and washed twice with Hank&#39;s balanced salt solution. Cells were then resuspended in Iscove&#39;s Modified Dulbecco&#39;s Medium (IMDM, Sigma) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (Bioconcept, Paris, France), 1% L-glutamine (Sigma), 1% penicillin/streptomycin (Sigma) and 0.1% gentamycin (Sigma). PBMCs (7×10 5  cells/well) were then incubated with live and heat treated bacteria (equivalent 7×10 6  cfu/well) in 48 well plates for 36 h. The effects of live and heat treated bacteria were tested on PBMCs from 8 individual donors splitted into two separate experiments. After 36 h incubation, culture plates were frozen and kept at −20° C. until cytokine measurement. Cytokine profiling was performed in parallel (i.e. in the same experiment on the same batch of PBMCs) for live bacteria and their heat-treated counterparts. 
         [0158]    Levels of cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-12p40, TNF-α and IL-10) in cell culture supernatants after 36 h incubation were determined by ELISA (R&amp;D DuoSet Human IL-10, BD OptEIA Human IL12p40, BD OptEIA Human TNF, BD OptEIA Human IFN-γ) following manufacturer&#39;s instructions. IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and TNF-α are pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas IL-10 is a potent anti-inflammatory mediator. Results are expressed as means (pg/ml)+/−SEM of 4 individual donors and are representative of two individual experiments performed with 4 donors each. 
         [0159]    In Vivo Effect of Live and Heat Treated  Bifidobacterium Breve  NCC2950 in Prevention of Allergic Diarrhea 
         [0160]    A mouse model of allergic diarrhea was used to test the Th1 promoting effect of  B. breve  NCC2950 (Brandt E. B et al. JCI 2003; 112(11): 1666-1667). Following sensitization (2 intraperitoneal injections of Ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminum potassium sulphate at an interval of 14 days; days 0 and 14) male Balb/c mice were orally challenged with OVA for 6 times (days 27, 29, 32, 34, 36, 39) resulting in transient clinical symptoms (diarrhea) and changes of immune parameters (plasma concentration of total IgE, OVA specific IgE, mouse mast cell protease 1, i.e MMCP-1).  Bifidobacterium breve  NCC2950 live or heat treated at 90° C. for 30 min, was administered by gavage 4 days prior to OVA sensitization (days −3, −2, −1, 0 and days 11, 12, 13 and 14) and during the challenge period (days 23 to 39). A daily bacterial dose of around 10 9  colony forming units (cfu) or equivalent cfu/mouse was used. 
         [0161]    Results 
         [0162]    Induction of Secretion of ‘Pro-Inflammatory’ Cytokines After Heat Treatment 
         [0163]    The ability of heat treated bacterial strains to stimulate cytokine secretion by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was assessed in vitro. The immune profiles based on four cytokines upon stimulation of PBMCs by heat treated bacteria were compared to that induced by live bacterial cells in the same in vitro assay. 
         [0164]    The heat treated preparations were plated and assessed for the absence of any viable counts. Heat treated bacterial preparations did not produce colonies after plating. 
         [0165]    Live probiotics induced different and strain dependent levels of cytokine production when incubated with human PBMCs ( FIG. 8 ). Heat treatment of probiotics modified the levels of cytokines produced by PBMCs as compared to their live counterparts. Heat treated bacteria induced more pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-12p40) than their live counterparts do. By contrast heat treated bacteria induced similar or lower amounts of IL-10 compared to live cells ( FIG. 8 ). These data show that heat treated bacteria are more able to stimulate the immune system than their live counterparts and therefore are more able to boost weakened immune defences. In other words the in vitro data illustrate an enhanced immune boost effect of bacterial strains after heat treatment. 
         [0166]    In order to illustrate the enhanced effect of heat-treated  B. breve  NCC2950 (compared to live cells) on the immune system, both live and heat treated  B. breve  NCC2950 (strain A) were tested in an animal model of allergic diarrhea. 
         [0167]    As compared to the positive control group, the intensity of diarrhea was significantly and consistently decreased after treatment with heat treated  B. breve  NCC2950 (41.1%±4.8) whereas the intensity of diarrhea was lowered by only 20±28.3% after treatment with live  B. breve  NCC2950. These results demonstrate that heat-treated  B. breve  NCC2950 exhibits an enhanced protective effect against allergic diarrhea than its live counterpart ( FIG. 9 ). 
         [0168]    As a consequence, the ability of probiotics to enhance the immune defences was shown to be improved after heat treatment. 
       EXAMPLE 3 
       [0169]    Experimental Protocol: 
         [0170]    T84 cells were used from passage 30-40 and cultured in Dulbecco&#39;s modified essential medium/F-12 (Sigma D 6421) containing 5% of fetal calf serum (FCS) (Amined BioConcept) and 2 mM glutamine. Cells were seeded at a concentration of 2×10 6  cell/well in 6-well culture plates and grown as monolayers at 37° C. in a 5% CO 2 —95% air atmosphere. Cells grown to 1 week after confluence were incubated with serum and antibiotic-free medium for at least 12 H. This step was necessary to eliminate serum-induced defensin expression and prevent any influence of antibiotics on the probiotics and on the cell immune response. Cells were further incubated with probiotics or heat-treated strains for 4 H. At the end of the incubation time, cells were washed with PBS and harvested with TriPure™ isolation reagent according to the supplier&#39;s protocol. Human hBD1 and hBD2 gene expression in the so-treated cells was assessed by quantitative PCR. 
         [0171]    Bacterial strains used in this experiment are  B. longum  (NCC 2705, deposit number CNCM I-2618),  B. lactis  (NCC 2818, deposit number CNCM I-3446),  L. johnsonii  (La1, NCC 533, deposit number CNCM I-1225),  L. paracasei  (ST11, NCC 2461, deposit number CNCM I-2116). These strains were tested live or heat-treated at either 120° C.—15 sec or 85° C.—20 min. 
         [0172]    Results: 
         [0173]    Heat-treated La1 (NCC533, deposit number CNCM I-1225) at 120° C., 15 sec induced strongly hBD1 mRNA expression after 4 h of incubation ( FIG. 10 ) in contrast to the other tested heat-treated strains. These data are unique, as HBD1 expression, which is constitutively expressed, is currently thought by the scientific community as virtually non modulable by microbes, microbial products or inflammation. 
         [0174]    Both live and heat-treated La1 (NCC533, deposit number CNCM I-1225) strongly induced hBD1 mRNA expression, but the highest induction of hBD1 was elicited by heat-treated La1 (high temperature and short time treatment) ( FIG. 11 ). 
         [0175]    It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.