As research advances, our understanding of the diverse immunomodulatory effects of probiotics continues to expand. Preclinical studies reveal that probiotics play a crucial role in regulating intestinal epithelial cell responses, mitigating proinflammatory effects triggered by pathogens and other physiological challenges. Additionally, they help modulate cytokine production, contributing to the regulation of the immune response, and can act against well-known pathogens, such as E. Coli, Candida and Salmonella.

Clinically, these benefits translate into enhanced protection against infections, particularly in populations who may be more susceptible to immune challenges such as children and athletes. Ongoing collaborative projects with world-renowned experts focus on investigating probiotics’ potential to strengthen antibody responses in seniors following vaccination and to support immunity in infants exposed to viruses.

Selected Publications

  1. Pasquier, J.-C., Plourde, M., Ramanathan, S., Chaillet, N., Boivin, G., Laforest-Lapointe, I., Allard-Chamard, H., Baron, G., Beaulieu, J.-F., Fülöp, T., Généreux, M., Mâsse, B., Robitaille, J., Valiquette, L., Bilodeau, S., H Buch, D., & Piche, A. (2025). Probiotics influencing response of antibodies over time in seniors after COVID-19 vaccine (PIRATES-COV): A randomised controlled trial protocol BMJ Open, 15(3), e088231. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088231 
  2. Happel, A.-U., Rametse, L., Perumaul, B., Diener, C., Gibbons, S. M., Nyangahu, D. D., Donald, K. A., Gray, C., & Jaspan, H. B. (2023). Bifidobacterium infantis supplementation versus placebo in early life to improve immunity in infants exposed to HIV: A protocol for a randomized trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 23(1), 367. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04208-0 
  3. Esposito, P., Kearns, M. M., Smith, K. B., Chandrasegaram, R., Kadamani, A. K., Gandelman, M., Liang, J., Nikpoor, N., Tompkins, T. A., & Ismail, N. (2022). The effects of antimicrobials and lipopolysaccharide on acute immune responsivity in pubertal male and female CD1 mice. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 11, 100147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100147 
  4. Gaisawat, M. B., Lopez-Escalera, S., Macpherson, C. W., Iskandar, M. M., Tompkins, T. A., & Kubow, S. (2022). Probiotics exhibit strain-specific protective effects in T84 cells challenged with Clostridioides difficile-infected fecal water. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 698638. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.698638 
  5. Lee, C. H., Choi, Y., Seo, S. Y., Kim, S.-H., Kim, I. H., Kim, S. W., Lee, S. T., & Lee, S. O. (2021). Addition of probiotics to antibiotics improves the clinical course of pneumonia in young people without comorbidities: A randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 926. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79630-2 
  6. MacAlpine, J., Daniel-Ivad, M., Liu, Z., Yano, J., Revie, N. M., Todd, R. T., Stogios, P. J., Sanchez, H., O’Meara, T. R., Tompkins, T. A., Savchenko, A., Selmecki, A., Veri, A. O., Andes, D. R., Fidel, P. L., Robbins, N., Nodwell, J., Whitesell, L., & Cowen, L. E. (2021). A small molecule produced by Lactobacillus species blocks Candida albicans filamentation by inhibiting a DYRK1-family kinase. Nature Communications, 12(1), 6151. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26390-w  
  7. Tremblay, A., Xu, X., Colee, J., & Tompkins, T. A. (2021). Efficacy of a multi-strain probiotic formulation in pediatric populations: A comprehensive review of clinical studies. Nutrients, 13(6), 1908. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061908  
  8. Zhao, W., Wang, X., Zhao, C., & Yan, Z. (2021). Immunomodulatory mechanism of Bacillus subtilis R0179 in RAW 264.7 cells against Candida albicans challenge. Microbial Pathogenesis, 157, 104988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104988  
  9. Adams, C., Sawh, F., Green-Johnson, J. M., Jones Taggart, H., & Strap, J. L. (2020). Characterization of casein-derived peptide bioactivity: Differential effects on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and cytokine and nitric oxide production. Journal of Dairy Science, 103(7), 5805-5815. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17976 
  10. Jeffrey, M. P., et al. (2020). Secretome-mediated interactions with intestinal epithelial cells: A role for secretome components from Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 in the attenuation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium secretome and TNF-α–induced proinflammatory responses. The Journal of Immunology, 204(9), 2523-2534. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1901440 
  11. Jeffrey, M. P., Jones Taggart, H., Strap, J. L., Edun, G., & Green-Johnson, J. M. (2020). Milk fermented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 induces a regulatory cytokine profile in LPS-challenged U937 and THP-1 macrophages. Current Research in Food Science, 3, 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crfs.2020.02.002 
  12. Mathieu, E., MacPherson, C. W., Belvis, J., Mathieu, O., Robert, V., Saint-Criq, V., Langella, P., Tompkins, T. A., & Thomas, M. (2020). Oral primo-colonizing bacteria modulate inflammation and gene expression in bronchial epithelial cells. Microorganisms, 8(8), 1094. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8081094  
  13. Jeffrey, M. P., Strap, J. L., Jones Taggart, H., & Green-Johnson, J. M. (2018). Suppression of intestinal epithelial cell chemokine production by Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 and Lactobacillus helveticus R0389 Is mediated by secreted bioactive molecules. Frontiers in Immunology, 9, 2639. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.02639 
  14. MacPherson, C. W., Shastri, P., Mathieu, O., Tompkins, T. A., & Burguière, P. (2017). Genome-wide immune modulation of TLR3-mediated inflammation in intestinal epithelial cells differs between single and multi-strain probiotic combination. PLOS ONE, 12(1), e0169847. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169847 
  15. Stojković, A., Simović, A., Bogdanović, Z., Banković, D., & Poskurica, M. (2016). Optimal time period to achieve the effects on synbiotic-controlled wheezing and respiratory infections in young children. Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo [Serbian Archives of Medicine], 144(1-2), 38-45. https://doi.org/10.2298/SARH1602038S  
  16. Hong, M., Kim, S. W., Han, S. H., Kim, D. J., Suk, K. T., Kim, Y. S., Kim, M. J., Kim, M. Y., Baik, S. K., & Ham, Y. L. (2015). Probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 and acidophilus R0052) reduce the expression of toll-like receptor 4 in mice with alcoholic liver disease. PLOS ONE, 10(2), e0117451. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117451  
  17. Langkamp-Henken, B., Rowe, C. C., Ford, A. L., Christman, M. C., Nieves, C., Khouri, L., Specht, G. J., Girard, S.-A., Spaiser, S. J., & Dahl, W. J. (2015). Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071 results in a greater proportion of healthy days and a lower percentage of academically stressed students reporting a day of cold/flu: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. British Journal of Nutrition, 113(3), 426-434. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114514003997
  18. MacPherson, C., Audy, J., Mathieu, O., & Tompkins, T. A. (2014). Multistrain probiotic modulation of intestinal epithelial cells’ immune response to a double-stranded RNA ligand, Poly (I:C). Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 80(5), 1692-1700. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03411-13  
  19. Audy, J., Mathieu, O., Belvis, J., & Tompkins, T. A. (2012). Transcriptomic response of immune signalling pathways in intestinal epithelial cells exposed to lipopolysaccharides, Gram-negative bacteria or potentially probiotic microbes. Beneficial Microbes, 3(4), 273-286. https://doi.org/10.3920/BM2012.0027

A global leader in the development, production and marketing of yeast, bacteria and specialty ingredients.

© 2026 Rosell Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics by Lallemand. All rights reserved. The information contained herein is business-to-business information and is not intended for the final consumer. It is based on our research and development work and is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable. Lallemand Health Solutions does not assume any liability resulting from the use of its products, as conditions of use are beyond our control. The business-to-business information provided should not be used as a substitute for any form of advice. In all instances, producers and marketers should check local regulatory requirements before use as products may be categorized differently, and consequently different claims may be made depending on the regulations applicable in each country.
Privacy and cookies policiesUser terms and conditionsCookies preferences

© 2026 Lallemand Inc. All right reserved