Nitto Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.

Shinwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Institut Pasteur De Kyoto

Suntory Limited

Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Company Limited

Pasken Products Co., Ltd.

Tsunataro Kishida

Keiji Fujioka

Yoshihiro Takada

Takayuki Sato

Yuji Nonaka

Takayuki Izumo

Kaoru Akatani

Kazuko Uno

Atsuko Kishi

The invention provides novel lactic acid bacteria having immunoregulating activities and usable in food and drinks, medicaments, and other applications. Specifically, the invention provides novel lactic acid bacteria separated from 'Shibazuke,' one kind of traditional Kyoto pickles, and having immunoregulating activities. The lactic acid bacteria of the present invention belong to

Lactic acid bacteria with immunoregulating activities

A new immunotherapy to cancer patients is provided. In the therapy, lymphocytes collected from a patient by leukopheresis are treated with interferon-.alpha. in vitro for a short period of term and then returned to the patient intravenously. According to the therapy, reduction in sensitivity of tumor cells to natural killer-cell lysis due to administration of interferon-.alpha. is eliminated, the activities of NK cell and 2-5AS and interferon-producing capacity can be enhanced, a large amount of lymphocytes can be activated directly in vitro with the dose of optimally adjusted to the patient, none of side effects are found, and any other potentiators and comodulaators, which may not be allowed to use in vivo, can be added to the lymphocytes and removed therefrom before returning to the patient.

Method for treating cancer patients

A method of measuring the activity of interferon-.alpha., .beta. or .omega., which comprises bringing a sample containing interferon into contact with a cell and determining an induced protein is provided.

Method of measuring interferon acitivity

A composition containing powdered Lactobacillus brevis subsp. coagulans is used to enhance the immunological functions of a patient, particularly with respect to increasing interferon production, 2-5A synthetase activity and Natural Killer activity.

Method of increasing interferon production in humans

Lactobacillus used to enhance immunological functions

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Kyoto, Japan

Tsunataro Kishida