The immune system is the critical barrier which prevents infection from microbial pathogens, which is directly associated with the development of diseases. Accumulated studies have indicated that probiotic bacterias are capable of inducing cytokines to be released from our intestinal cells and play crucial roles in the regulation of physiological functions, such as immune boosting. To date, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that fucoidan ,as well as fucoxanthin, are involved in the improvement of collagen and epidermis formation, amelioration of hyperglycemia, and various anticancer effects. For the regulation of immune system, however, whether fucoidan/fucoxanthin supplements are involved in the regulation of intestinal cell proliferation and residential probiotic bacteria is still not understood. Furthermore, if/how fucoidan/fucoxanthin supplements affect the incremental value of probiotic bacterial-induced immune boosting as well as reduction of allergic reactions via intestinal cells is still obscured.
The goals of this study are to determine 1) whether fucoidan/fucoxanthin have an effect on Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 growth, 2) fucoidan/fucoxanthin effects on Caco-2 cell growth, 3) fucoidan/fucoxanthin effect on levels of IL-8 and IL-10 in Caco-2 cells.
