http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/services/Feed ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:45 Mucosal vaccination using adjuvant protein vaccines may offer a novel approach for tuberculosis. To date, however, development of such a vaccine has been considered unlikely due to the inability to identify a safe adjuvant that stimulates an appropriate immune response. This study was undertaken to determine the potential of a dairy propionibacteria, P. jensenii strain 702 (PJ702), to act as an adjuvant when co-administered orally with soluble tuberculosis protein to mice. The efficacy of the PJ702 to act as an adjuvant was assessed by comparison with cholera toxin. C57 mice were orally immunized with Mycobacterium tuberculosis short-term culture filtrate protein (STCF) (200 mu g) with either PJ702 (10(8) cfu) or cholera toxin (10 mu) in a total volume of 100 mu L. A control group was given PJ702 108 cfu alone. Each mouse (eight per group) was vaccinated weekly over a 21-day period. At day 25 the mice were sacrificed, spleens were collected and lymphocyte cultures prepared. After stimulation with STCF (2.5 mu g), cell proliferation was measured by H-3 thymidine uptake, and the cytokines, IL-4 and IFN-gamma, by ELISA. A significantly higher T-cell proliferation was observed for the group given the vaccine containing PJ702, compared to both the control group and the group given the vaccine containing cholera toxin (P<0.05). The predominant cytokine produced from all groups was IFN-gamma. These results indicate potential for future development of an oral tuberculosis vaccine, and also identify PJ702 as a potential living vaccine vector that could be applied to a number of mucosally transmitted diseases. 2012-03-01T00:59:20.411Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9634 The aims of this study were to examine long-term growth interactions of five probiotic strains (Lactobacillus casei 01, Lactobacillus plantarum HA8, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12) either alone or in combination with Propionibacterium jensenii 702 in a co-culture system and to determine their adhesion ability to human colon adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2. Growth patterns of probiotic Lactobacillus strains were not considerably affected by the presence of P. jensenii 702, whereas lactobacilli exerted a strong antagonistic action against P. jensenii 702. In the co-culture of Bif. lactis Bb12 and P. jensenii 702, a significant synergistic influence on growth of both bacteria was observed (P < 0.05). The results of adhesion assay showed that when probiotic strains were tested in combination, there was evidence of an associated effect on percentage adherence. However, in most cases these differences were not statistically significant (P < 0.05). Adhesion percentage of Lb. casei 01 and Lb. rhamnosus GG both decreased significantly in the presence of P. jensenii 702 compared to their adhesion levels when alone (P < 0.05). These results show that the survival and percentage adhesion of some probiotic strains may be influenced by the presence of other strains and this should be considered when formulating in the probiotic products. 2011-12-07T02:00:13.319Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1902 This study aimed to assess the transit tolerance of potential probiotic dairy propionibacteria strains in human upper gastrointestinal tract in vitro, and to evaluate the effect of food addition on viability of these strains in simulated pH 2.0 gastric juices. The transit tolerance of 13 dairy propionibacteria strains was determined at 37 °C by exposing washed cell suspensions to simulated gastric juices at pH values at 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0, and simulated small intestinal juices (pH 8.0) with or without 0.3% bile salts. The viability of dairy propionibacteria in pH 2.0 simulated gastric juice with So-Good™ original soymilk or Up & Go® liquid breakfast was also determined. The simulated gastric transit tolerance of dairy propionibacteria was strain-dependent and pH-dependent. All tested strains were tolerant to simulated small intestinal transit. The addition of So-Good™ original soymilk or Up & Go® liquid breakfast greatly enhanced the survival of dairy propionibacteria strains in pH 2.0 simulated gastric juices. Dairy propionibacteria strains demonstrate high tolerance to simulated human upper gastrointestinal tract conditions and offer a relatively overlooked, yet alternative source for novel probiotics besides Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. 2010-04-27T06:58:19.695Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:85 The present invention relates to probiotic Propionibacterium strains and their use in the preparation of probiotic supplements and foods. The invention relates to the provision of Vitamin B₁₂, propionic acid, folacin and bacteriocins by probiotic strains, stimulation of bifidobacteria growth, production of favourable effects on the lipid metabolism and on the immune system of hosts through immunostimulation, immunomodulation or use of a probiotic strain as an adjuvant, reduction of homocysteine and beta glucuronidase and the prevention, treatment or amelioration of conditions associated with a need for these activities. The probiotic bacteria of the invention can be used in humans or other animals. In at least some applications, the bacteria can be used dead and parts rather than whole cells may be used. The present invention also relates to the preparation of vaccines for use in protecting patients from infectious diseases, in particular tuberculosis. 2010-04-27T05:36:50.919Z ]]>