Exopolysaccharide EPS Immune Stimulation via Cytokine Expression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current probiotic supplements, such as those containing Lactobacillus paracasei, face challenges in effectively boosting the immune system and providing comprehensive health benefits due to limitations in their immunostimulatory mechanisms, particularly in stimulating cytokine expression and adhesion to host cells.
Innovation Solution
The use of exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by Lactobacillus paracasei DG, specifically a heteropolysaccharide with a repeating unit of rhamnose, galactose, and N-acetylgalactosamine, which can be used as prebiotics or probiotics to enhance immune system activation by stimulating cytokine expression and potentially improving bacterial adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If probiotic supplements containing Lactobacillus paracasei are used, then immune system stimulation is achieved, but the immunostimulatory mechanism is limited and cytokine expression is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the exopolysaccharide component from the whole Lactobacillus paracasei bacterium. This isolation allows the EPS to be used independently as the active immunostimulatory agent, removing the need for live bacterial cells and simplifying the mechanism while maintaining or enhancing immune stimulation effectiveness through targeted cytokine induction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the probiotic by identifying and characterizing the specific heteropolysaccharide structure with repeating units of rhamnose, galactose, and N-acetylgalactosamine. This parameter change from whole bacteria to purified EPS with defined composition enables more reliable and controllable immune system stimulation
2Reliability
If probiotic bacteria are used to boost immune system, then health benefits are provided, but adhesion to host cells is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the exopolysaccharide capsule from the bacterial cell structure. This extracted EPS retains the adhesion properties necessary for host cell interaction while eliminating the need for whole live bacteria, thereby improving reliability of health benefits without depending on bacterial viability and adhesion capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The exopolysaccharide acts as an intermediary substance that mediates the interaction between the probiotic and the host immune system. It facilitates adhesion and immune stimulation without requiring the presence of intact bacterial cells, serving as a bridge that transfers the beneficial effects from the bacterium to the host
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to exopolysaccharide molecules, conditioned media or compositions comprising said molecules or media. Moreover, the present invention refers to use of said exopolysaccharide molecules, conditioned media or compositions as prebiotic, preferably to boost immune system.