Immunomodulatory Potential of Probiotics and Prebiotics as Adjuvants in Rats Vaccinated with Inactivated Poliovirus: Comprehensive Immunological and Histopathological Evaluation

Authors

  • Mashail A Alghamdi Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  • Dalia Elebeedy College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology (MUST), 6th of October City, Egypt.
  • Tahani Alqahtani Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  • Faisal Al-Sarraj Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  • Majid Al-Zahrani Biological Science Department, College of Science and Art at Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia.
  • Fayed AK Megahed Nucleic Acid Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnological Research Institute (GEBRI), City for Scientific Researches and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Alexandria, 21934, Egypt.
  • Asmaa Sayed Abdelgeliel Department of Botany & Microbiology, Faculty of Science, South Valley, University, Qena 83523, Egypt.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22317/jcms.v11i4.1987

Keywords:

Lactobacillus acidophilus 20552s, Ginger Rhizomes, Prebiotics, Probiotics, Polio vaccine, Rats, Immunomodulatory

Abstract

Objective:
Poliomyelitis remains a global public health concern, particularly in developing countries, where vaccine responses are suboptimal due to limited mucosal and cell-mediated immunity. Recent research has shown that probiotics and plant-derived prebiotics are novel mucosal adjuvants that enhance both innate and adaptive immune responses following vaccination. The current study aimed to evaluate the ability of prebiotics (ginger rhizomes) and probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus 20552s) as mucosal adjuvants to improve immunity following polio vaccination in rats.

Methods:
This study examined forty rats equally allocated into four different groups: a control group (POG), and three experimental groups receiving the oral polio vaccine along with either ginger rhizomes prebiotics (PRE), Lactobacillus acidophilus 20552s probiotics (PRO), or a mixture of both (MIX). Serum levels of IFN-γ, TPA, and IL-5 were analyzed. Histopathological assessments of the liver, spleen, and kidneys were also performed.

Results:
The results showed that the TPA level of the MIX group was significantly higher than in the other groups (p<0.05), while all experimental groups had lower serum IFN-γ levels than the POG group (p<0.05). Interestingly, the MIX group had the highest IL-5 concentration compared with the POG and PRO groups, with statistical significance (p<0.05). Histopathological analysis revealed liver interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration and dilated, congested central veins in the kidneys in the POG group, suggesting potential physiological protection from the treatments in the other groups.

Conclusion:
Collectively, the coadministration of PRO and PRE as adjuvants to the polio vaccine enhanced immune responses in rats. This novel approach has the potential to improve vaccine efficacy and preserve organ integrity after vaccination, offering promising strategies for future vaccine development and administration.

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Published

2025-08-26

How to Cite

Alghamdi, M. A., Elebeedy, D., Alqahtani, T., Al-Sarraj, F., Al-Zahrani, M., Megahed, F. A., & Abdelgeliel, A. S. (2025). Immunomodulatory Potential of Probiotics and Prebiotics as Adjuvants in Rats Vaccinated with Inactivated Poliovirus: Comprehensive Immunological and Histopathological Evaluation. Journal of Contemporary Medical Sciences, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.22317/jcms.v11i4.1987

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 4 (2025): July-August

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