Production of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 by RAW264.7 macrophage cells treated with lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi.

The present study investigated immunopotentiating activities of lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi (KLAB) in vitro. A RAW264.7 macrophage cell line was stimulated with four strains of KLAB and two strains of bifidobacteria, and then the production of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines--tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)--was determined. Lactobacillus plantarum, a lactic acid bacteria involved in the latent fermentation of kimchi, was the most effective for the generation of NO, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 in macrophage. All strains generated NO, while for the TNF-alpha and IL-6, only L. plantarum had significant activity. Our results indicate that L. plantarum plays an important role in the immunopotentiating activity of kimchi.