Effect of orally administered exopolysaccharides produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris FC on a mouse model of dermatitis induced by repeated exposure to 2,4,6-trinitro-1-chlorobenzene

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris (L. cremoris) FC is a lactic acid bacteria that produces exopolysaccharides (EPS). We studied the effects of EPS on the development of dermatitis in BALB/c mice induced by repeated exposure to 2,4,6-trinitro-1-chlorobenzene (TNCB) and on intestinal immunological activity in C3H/HeJ mice through Peyer's patch cells. The EPS was shown to be composed of phosphopolysaccharides containing rhamnose, galactose, and glucose in a molar ratio of 1:1:3. Their weight average molecular weight (Mw) was 712,000. Oral administration of EPS suppressed skin thickening and infiltration of mast cells in skin lesions. EPS suppressed IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-6, and TNF-α overexpression caused by exposure to TNCB. Peyer's patch cell medium cultured with EPS stimulated bone marrow cell proliferation. Together, these results suggest that EPS produced by L. cremoris FC may be an effective dietary component to prevent chronic skin inflammatory diseases.