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Yeast Modulation of Human Dendritic Cell Cytokine Secretion: An In Vitro Study

Ida M. Smith, Jeffrey E. Christensen, Nils Arneborg, Lene Jespersen

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

This study explores the immunoregulatory potential of non-Saccharomyces yeasts, such as Kluyveromyces marxianus sp. in modulating inflammatory responses via interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). While Saccharomyces boulardii is widely studied as a probiotic yeast, little is known about the immune effects of other yeast species. Researchers evaluated 170 yeast strains from 75 species for their ability to influence cytokine secretion in DCs, comparing their effects to S. boulardii.

Key findings include:

• A high diversity in yeast-induced cytokine responses, with distinct clustering patterns among yeast genera.
• Evidence suggesting that yeast-DC interactions are not solely dependent on yeast viability but may also involve membrane interactions confirming immunomodulatory potential of both viable and unviable yeast cells.

These results expand current knowledge on yeast-immune system cross-talk and provide a foundation for identifying novel promising yeast probiotics and postbiotics beyond the traditional S. boulardii.