Milmed saccharomyces cerevisiae activity on central nervous system cells

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of incubation of CNS cells, namely microglia and neuronal-like cells, with Milmed Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast [Milmed]. Cytotoxicity tests and dose-response curves were performed; the phenotype assumed by the cells after incubation with yeast, in the presence or in the absence of LPS, was also evaluated Materials and Methods: Milmed, a treated yeast preparation grown in medium enriched with glucose or glycerol and with different nitrogen availability, was added at different concentrations to microglial BV2 cells, U-937 monocytic cell line, SK-N-SH, IMR-32 neuroblastoma cell line. Cells were incubated with Milmed at different concentrations for 24 and 48 hrs. Cell viability was determined by MTS and Trypan Blue exclusion. Results: Morphological analysis revealed that microglial and monocyte-like cells were able to engulf and phagocytize the yeast. Milmed did not display any toxicity until the concentration of 107 / well. Indeed, even at this concentration it is likely that depletion of nutrient rather than toxicity may account for the observation. It H[KLELWHGDWURSKLFDFWLYLW\XSRQQHXUREODVWRPDFHOOVDVFRQ¿UPHGE the induction of NGF and BDNF mRNAs. When added to LPS treated BV2 cells, Milmed induced the recovery of resting phenotype, that is a spindle cell body with several cytoplasmic elongations, differing from the LPS stimulated phenotype: round, enlarged and with minor DQGVKRUWHUUDPL¿FDWLRQVVXJJHVWLQJDQDQWLLQÀDPPDWRUDFWLYLWRI Milmed yeast. Conclusion: Milmed yeast does not produce cytotoxic effects neither upon microglia cells nor upon cells of neuronal origin, where it SODVDWURSKLFDFWLYLW,WVHHPVWRSODDQDQWLLQÀDPPDWRUDFWLYLW which suggests its possible use as a nutraceutical.