Diverse Immune Responses to Orally Administered Heat-Killed Cell Preparation of Enterococcus faecalis Strain EC-12 in Murine Immune Tissues

Abstract

Diverse immune responses to an orally administered heat-killed cell preparation of Enterococcus faecalis strain EC-12 (EC-12) among jejunal-Peyer’s patches (PPs), ileal-PPs, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), and spleen were compared by real-time PCR in mice. Intriguingly, distinct responses to EC-12 were observed in the various tissues. This study indicates a site-specific response to orally administered bacteria, particularly in jejunal- and ileal-PPs.

• heat-killed bacteria
• Peyer’s patch
• cytokine
• chemokine