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Protein–energy malnutrition (PEM) causes a significant impairment of the immune system, the thymus being one of the most affected organs. It has been demonstrated that the administration of probiotic fermented milk (PFM) recovered the intestinal barrier, histological alterations and mucosal and systemic immune functions in a non-severe malnutrition model using BALB/c mice. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, in the same model of malnutrition, the effect of a PFM added to a re-nutrition diet on the recovery of the thymus, analysing histological and functional alterations caused by malnutrition. Mice were undernourished and divided into three groups according to the dietary supplement received during re-nutrition: milk, PFM or its bacterial-free supernatant (BFS). They were compared with well-nourished and malnourished mice. PFM was the most effective re-nutrition supplement to improve the histology of the thymus, decreasing cellular apoptosis in this organ and recovering the percentage of CD4þ/CD82 single-positive thymocytes. Immature doublepositive thymocytes were increased in the malnourished control (MC). The production of different cytokines in the thymus was increased in mice given PFM, compared with the mice that received other dietary supplements and MC. Mice given the BFS presented an improvement in the thymus similar to those that received milk. We demonstrated the importance of the whole PFM supplementation on the histological and functional recovery of the thymus in a non-severe PEM model. Fil: Novotny Núñez, Ivanna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos (i); Argentina; Fil: Maldonado Galdeano, María Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos (i); Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Microbiología; Argentina; Fil: Carmuega, Esteban. Centro de Estudios en Nutrición Infantil; Argentina; Fil: Weill, Ricardo. DANONE. Departamento de investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina; Fil: de Moreno, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos (i); Argentina; Fil: Perdigón, Gabriela del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos (i); Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Microbiología; Argentina

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are present in many foods such as yoghurt and are frequently used as probiotics to favour some biological functions in the host. Many investigators have evaluated the therapeutic effects of yoghurt and LAB commonly used in yoghurt production against diseases such as cancer, infection, and gastrointestinal disorders. The increase of immune cell activity in the prevention of cancer by LAB consumption has also been described. Another possible explanation for the preventive effect of probiotics on carcinogenesis is their effect on other bacteria in the intestine. Probiotics may suppress the growth of bacteria that convert procarcinogens into carcinogens, thereby reducing the amount of carcinogens in the intestine. The present review is focused on two types of cancer in which milk fermented by LAB may show a beneficial effect: colon cancer and breast cancer. Fil: de Moreno, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentina Fil: Matar, Chantal. Université de Moncton; Francia Fil: Perdigon, Gabriela del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentina