Oral administration of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NR16 isolated from Kimchi ameliorates murine allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a type I hypersensitivity mediated by dominant T helper 2 (Th2) response over the Th1 response after re-exposure to a specific allergen. Currently, socio-economic cost evoked by AR is quickly increasing since the prevalence of AR is gradually increasing in all ages worldwide. Several probiotic Lactobacillus strains have been described with potential immunomodulatory effects against type I hypersensitivity such as AR. Thus, the aim of the present work was to characterize basic probiotic property and immunomodulatory role of newly isolated Lactobacillus strains from Kimchi, a traditional fermented Korean food, in AR. Among the identified strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NR16 revealed to be a powerful Th1 inducer since immune cells co-cultured with NR16 produced the highest quantity of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) but secreted a low amount of IL-4 in vitro. Therefore, NR16 was selected for the following assays conducted with mice with birch pollen–induced AR. Oral administration of NR16 reduced airway hyperresponsiveness and leukocyte infiltration in lesions of mice. In conclusion, oral administration of NR16 may mitigate symptoms of AR by inducing Th1 immune response, which might rebalance Th2/Th1 ratio by decreasing Th2 cytokine production in specific lesions of mucosa.