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Kluyveromyces marxianus and Saccharomyces boulardii Induce Distinct Levels of Dendritic Cell Cytokine Secretion and Significantly Different T Cell Responses In Vitro

Ida M. Smith, Adam Baker, Jeffrey E. Christensen, Teun Boekhout, Hanne Frøkiær, Nils Arneborg, Lene Jespersen

Published: May 9, 2014 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096595

This study investigates the immune-modulating properties of the food-related yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus in comparison to Saccharomyces boulardii, a well-known probiotic yeast. Researchers examined how K. marxianus influences human dendritic cells (DCs) and their subsequent modulation of naïve T cells, focusing on inflammatory (Th1/Th17) versus regulatory (Treg) responses.

Key findings include:

• Both yeasts modulate DC cytokine secretion through Dectin-1 recognition of β-glucans in their cell walls.
• S. boulardii promotes a strong IFNγ-driven Th1 response, associated with immune activation.
• K. marxianus, in contrast, induces a Foxp3+ Treg response, which supports immune tolerance and may help mitigate excessive inflammation.

These results highlight K. marxianus as a promising candidate for probiotic development, particularly for conditions characterized by chronic inflammation.