A new use of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei K56 capable of regulating the gastrointestinal flora balance is described. The deposit number of the Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei is DSM27447. This strain alone has the ability to significantly promote the growth of intestinal Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, suppress Desulfovibrio and/or Enterobacteria in the intestine, suppress Helicobacter and/or Escherichia-Shigella, and can endure a simulated in vitro gastrointestinal fluid stress environment. Experiments in mice show that this strain has no acute oral toxicity, no antibiotic resistance, and may be safely used in food processing.

The present invention is drawn to the nucleic and amino acid sequences encoding vaginolysin (VLY) toxin from Gardnerella vaginalis, and biologically active fragments and variants thereof. The invention is also directed to anti-VLY antibodies and to their use therapeutically and in a new ELISA assay of VLY toxin. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to VLY toxoids and to vaccines that use the new VLY toxoids as immunogens.

Disclosed herein are peptide fragments of Amuc_1100* and the use thereof. The peptide is shown to be a ligand to activate TLR2 and is used to treat obesity and the related disease or condition. The peptide of the present invention is further used in the treatment of intestinal cancer, promoting immune response, and intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction.

Disclosed is a gastro-resistant vector for the oral administration of at least one pharmaceutical and/or antigenic active substance including an aqueous phase (W) and an oily phase (O) in the form of a water-in-oil (W/O)-type emulsion wherein the aqueous phase includes at least one active principle and between 2 and 40 wt. % of a hydrophilic polymer that is insoluble in an aqueous phase of pH<6.5.

A method of reducing or preventing the development of airway inflammation in a subject includes the step of infecting the respiratory tract of a subject an amount of a composition including a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and live attenuated pertactin-deficient Bordetella bacteria sufficient to colonize the respiratory tract of the subject. The step of infecting the subject with the live attenuated pertactin-deficient Bordetella bacteria results in reduction or prevention of the development of airway inflammation in the subject.

Immunogenic peptides, fusion polypeptides, and carrier molecules which include the immunogenic peptides, and immunogenic compositions which include these immunogenic peptides, fusion heterologous polypeptides, and/or carrier molecules bearing the peptides, and which are able to elicit antibody production against infectious organisms, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and their use in causing an antibody response against one or more strains of infectious organism, such as B. pertussis (Bp).

Immunogenic peptides, fusion polypeptides, and carrier molecules which include the immunogenic peptides, and immunogenic compositions which include these immunogenic peptides, fusion heterologous polypeptides, and/or carrier molecules bearing the peptides, and which are able to elicit antibody production against infectious organisms, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and their use in causing an antibody response against one or more strains of infectious organism, such as B. pertussis (Bp).

The present disclosure provides an adjuvant composition containing 0.2%-15% w/v carbomer, 0.1%-0.5% w/v lecithin, and 0.03%-0.2% w/v ginsenoside. The adjuvant composition of the present disclosure cannot only ensure the long-term clarification and/or stability of the vaccine, but also can effectively stimulate the inactivated antigens and subunit antigens therein to produce high-titer antibodies for immune protection. The inactivated vaccines or subunit vaccines prepared by the adjuvant composition of the present disclosure can be used as a diluent for freeze-dried live virus antigens and has no toxic effect on the live virus antigens.

The invention provides in part methods of treating cancers of a specific organ or tissue by administering a composition that is antigenically specific for one or more microbes that are pathogenic in the specific organ or tissue in which the cancer is situated.

The present invention relates to a beta-herpesvirus, preferably a recombinant beta-herpesvirus, wherein the beta-herpesvirus comprises at least one heterologous nucleic acid, wherein the at least one heterologous nucleic acid comprises a gene encoding a cellular ligand.