PROBIOTICS, SECRETORY IgA AND INFECTION

Abstract

Ways to increase the effectiveness of probiotics are disclosed. One embodiment relates to a combination of probiotics with secretory IgA and possible uses of this combination. For example, a method of using a composition containing secretory IgA and at least one probiotic to prepare a product to treat or prevent infection is disclosed.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A method for treating, preventing or reducing non-viral infections, the method comprising the step of:
 administering a therapeutically-effective amount of a composition comprising SIgA and probiotic microorganisms, wherein the SIgA and the probiotic microorganisms are present in the form of a complex with each other, and the SIgA and the probiotic micro-organisms are present in the composition in a stoichiometric ratio of at least 100:1.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the composition is administered to newborns, infants, juveniles, adults, elderly, or mothers during pregnancy or lactation. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises milk obtained from an animal or plant source. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least one of cows' milk, human milk, sheep milk, goat milk, horse milk, camel milk, rice milk or soy milk. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises milk protein fractions or colostrum. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition contains at least one prebiotic. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one prebiotic is selected from the group consisting of: oligosaccharides; dietary fibers; inulin; or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the oligosaccharides contain at least one of fructose, galactose or mannose. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the dietary fibers comprise at least one of soluble fibers or soy fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one prebiotic is selected from the group consisting of: fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), isomalto-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides, oligosaccharides of soy, glycosyl sucrose (GS), lactosucrose (LS), lactulose (LA), palatinose-oligosaccharides (PAO), maltooligosaccharides, pectins and/or hydrolysates thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises between 10 2  and 10 10  cells of probiotic micro-organism per daily dose. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises between 0.0001 mg SlgA and 10 mg SlgA per daily dose. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the probiotic microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of  Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Saccharomyces  and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the probiotic microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of  Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus salivarius, Enterococcus faecium, Saccharomyces boulardii  and  Lactobacillus reuteri,  and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the probiotic microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of:  Lactobacillus johnsonii  (NCC533; CNCM I-1225),  Bifidobacterium longum  (NCC490; CNCM 1-2170),  Bifidobacterium longum  (NCC2705; CNCM 1-2618),  Bifidobacterium lactis  (2818; CNCM 1-3446),  Lactobacillus paracasei  (NCC2461; CNCM 1-2116),  Lactobacillus rhamnosus  GG (ATCC53103),  Lactobacillus rhamnosus  (NCC4007; CGMCC 1.3724),  Enterococcus faecium  SF 68 (NCIMB10415), and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the SIgA is isolated SIgA. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the probiotic microorganisms present in the composition are associated with at least one SIgA molecule as immune complexes.