{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,16]],"date-time":"2026-10-16T01:31:13Z","timestamp":1792114273615,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]],"date-time":"2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750809600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Nutr."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>In recent years, the prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis has increased rapidly in Japan, becoming a social problem. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of tablets containing <jats:italic>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei<\/jats:italic> KW3110 (<jats:italic>L. paracasei<\/jats:italic> KW3110) on allergic symptoms in the nose and eyes.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, 120 healthy adults with mild to moderate allergic rhinitis ingested either a placebo tablet or a test tablet containing <jats:italic>L. paracasei<\/jats:italic> KW3110 for 12\u202fweeks (from January to April). Subjects who did not regularly use medication and experienced nasal and eye discomfort in early spring were selected. Allergic symptoms in the nose and eyes were assessed using subjective symptom surveys and diagnosis by an otorhinolaryngologist.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Compared with the placebo group, the <jats:italic>L. paracasei<\/jats:italic> KW3110 group showed a significant improvement in the score of \u201cnasal symptoms\u201d (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) and \u201coutdoor activities\u201d (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) in the Japanese Rhino-conjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (JRQLQ No.1) at 4\u202fweeks when pollen dispersal begins, and \u201crunny nose\u201d (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) in a diary questionnaire on nasal and eye symptoms at 8\u202fweeks. Diagnosis by an otorhinolaryngologist showed a significant decrease in the score of \u201cparoxysmal sneezing or rhinorrhea\u201d (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) and \u201cclassification of severity of allergic rhinitis symptoms\u201d (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) at 4\u202fweeks, and the number of subjects scoring \u201cworse\u201d (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) in the efficacy assessment.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>These findings suggest that intake of <jats:italic>L. paracasei<\/jats:italic> KW3110 is effective in alleviating nasal symptoms in subjects with mild to moderate allergic rhinitis, which can be useful for preventing allergic rhinitis without medication.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Clinical trial registration<\/jats:title><jats:p><jats:uri>https:\/\/www.umin.ac.jp\/<\/jats:uri>, identifier UMIN000053239.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2025.1568329","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]],"date-time":"2025-06-25T12:10:43Z","timestamp":1750853443000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Effect of heat-killed Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KW3110 on mild to moderate seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms in Japanese adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Yoshihiko","family":"Sugihara","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiawen","family":"Zheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuko","family":"Fukushima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hajime","family":"Nozawa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yusuke","family":"Ushida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ryohei","family":"Tsuji","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yoshitaka","family":"Okamoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daisuke","family":"Fujiwara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.3950\/jibiinkoka.123.485","article-title":"Epidemiological survey of allergic rhinitis in Japan 2019","volume":"123","author":"Matsubara","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nippon Jibiinkoka Gakkai Kaiho"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1016\/j.alit.2020.04.001","article-title":"Japanese guidelines for allergic rhinitis 2020","volume":"69","author":"Okubo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Allergol Int"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"607","DOI":"10.1080\/17476348.2023.2241364","article-title":"Pharmacotherapy and immunotherapy of allergic rhinitis induced by house dust mite, grass, and birch pollen allergens: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials","volume":"17","author":"Marko","year":"2023","journal-title":"Expert Rev Respir Med"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1265\/jjh.20005","article-title":"Environment and immunity - allergies and autoimmune diseases from epidemiological perspective","volume":"75","author":"Katoh","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nihon Eiseigaku Zasshi"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1259","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.299.6710.1259","article-title":"Hay fever, hygiene, and household size","volume":"299","author":"Strachan","year":"1989","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref6","first-page":"1393","article-title":"Effect of oral probiotics (Bifidobacterium lactis AD011 and Lactobacillus acidophilus AD031) administration on ovalbumin-induced food allergy mouse model","volume":"18","author":"Kim","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Microbiol Biotechnol"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1007\/s10616-007-9112-1","article-title":"In vitro and in vivo anti-allergic effects of \u2018benifuuki\u2019 green tea containing O-methylated catechin and ginger extract enhancement","volume":"55","author":"Maeda-Yamamoto","year":"2007","journal-title":"Cytotechnology"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1425","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2222.2006.02575.x","article-title":"Probiotics in the treatment of Japanese cedar pollinosis: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial","volume":"36","author":"Xiao","year":"2006","journal-title":"Clin Exp Allergy"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2393","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000020095","article-title":"Application of probiotics in adjuvant treatment of infant allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled study","volume":"16","author":"Cao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1007\/s12263-011-0218-x","article-title":"The immunomodulatory properties of probiotic microorganisms beyond their viability (ghost probiotics: proposal of paraprobiotic concept)","volume":"6","author":"Taverniti","year":"2011","journal-title":"Genes Nutr"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.2500\/aap.2009.30.3256","article-title":"Effects of daily intake of Lactobacillus paracasei strain\u2002KW3110\u2002on Japanese cedar pollinosis","volume":"30","author":"Yonekura","year":"2009","journal-title":"Allergy Asthma Proc"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1159\/000081305","article-title":"The anti-allergic effects of lactic acid bacteria are strain dependent and mediated by effects on both Th1\/Th2 cytokine expression and balance","volume":"135","author":"Fujiwara","year":"2004","journal-title":"Int Arch Allergy Immunol"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1058","DOI":"10.3390\/nu10081058","article-title":"Effect of heat-killed Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110 ingestion on ocular disorders caused by visual display terminal (VDT) loads: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study","volume":"10","author":"Morita","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17737","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-97087-9","article-title":"Dectin-2 mediates phagocytosis of\u2002Lactobacillus paracasei\u2002KW3110\u2002and\u2002IL-10\u2002production by macrophages","volume":"11","author":"Yoshikawa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1991","DOI":"10.3390\/nu10121991","article-title":"Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110 prevents blue light-induced inflammation and degeneration in the retina","volume":"10","author":"Morita","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"736","DOI":"10.1080\/00016480510026944","article-title":"Comparative study of two Japanese rhinoconjunctivitis quality-of-life questionnaires","volume":"125","author":"Okuda","year":"2005","journal-title":"Acta Otolaryngol"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1186\/s12865-015-0113-0","article-title":"Immune cell subsets and their gene expression profiles from human PBMC isolated by vacutainer cell preparation tube (CPT\u2122) and standard density gradient","volume":"16","author":"Corkum","year":"2015","journal-title":"BMC Immunol"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6659","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0509484103","article-title":"Single-cell analysis of normal and FOXP3-mutant human T cells: FOXP3 expression without regulatory T cell development","volume":"103","author":"Gavin","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proc Natl Acad Sci USA"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3620","DOI":"10.3390\/nu12123620","article-title":"Lactobacillus helveticus SBT2171 alleviates perennial allergic rhinitis in Japanese adults by suppressing eosinophils: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study","volume":"12","author":"Yamashita","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"126","DOI":"10.3390\/ijtm4010006","article-title":"Pantoea agglomerans lipopolysaccharide controls nasal discomfort\u2014a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group comparison trial","volume":"4","author":"Kohchi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Transl Med"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anl.2015.06.011","article-title":"Effect of short-term oral immunotherapy with cry j1-galactomannan conjugate on quality of life in Japanese cedar pollinosis patients: a prospective, randomized, open-label study","volume":"43","author":"Murakami","year":"2016","journal-title":"Auris Nasus Larynx"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbiosc.2012.02.010","article-title":"Increases in GroES and GroEL from Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 in response to a decrease in medium pH, and changes in cytokine release from splenocytes: transcriptome and proteome analyses","volume":"114","author":"Kuwana","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Biosci Bioeng"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"610","DOI":"10.1002\/mbo3.99","article-title":"Role of the mannose receptor in phagocytosis of Enterococcus faecalis strain EC-12 by antigen-presenting cells","volume":"2","author":"Tsuruta","year":"2013","journal-title":"Microbiol Open"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"739","DOI":"10.1016\/j.iac.2004.06.006","article-title":"Probiotics and down-regulation of the allergic response","volume":"24","author":"Kalliomaki","year":"2004","journal-title":"Immunol Allergy Clin N Am"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-3083.1999.00503.x","article-title":"Administration of interleukin-12 prevents mite Der p 1 allergen-IgE antibody production and airway eosinophil infiltration in an animal model of airway inflammation","volume":"49","author":"Lee","year":"1999","journal-title":"Scand J Immunol"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1028","DOI":"10.1189\/jlb.0604325","article-title":"Dendritic cells retrovirally overexpressing IL-12 induce strong Th1 responses to inhaled antigen in the lung but fail to revert established Th2 sensitization","volume":"76","author":"Kuipers","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Leukoc Biol"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1561","DOI":"10.1271\/bbb.90058","article-title":"Orally administered Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110 induces in vivo IL-12 production","volume":"73","author":"Ichikawa","year":"2009","journal-title":"Biosci Biotechnol Biochem"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.2332\/allergolint.10-OA-0198","article-title":"SLIT improves cedar pollinosis by restoring IL-10 production from Tr1 and monocytes ~ IL-10 productivity is critical for becoming allergic ~","volume":"60","author":"Yamanaka","year":"2011","journal-title":"Allergol Int"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1919","DOI":"10.1007\/s00011-024-01940-2","article-title":"Probiotic nucleotides increase IL-10 expression in airway macrophages to mitigate airway allergy","volume":"73","author":"Xue","year":"2024","journal-title":"Inflamm Res"},{"key":"ref30","first-page":"355","article-title":"Efficacy of heat-killed Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 on allergic reactions to pollen-a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel-group study","volume":"46","author":"Kato","year":"2018","journal-title":"Jpn Pharmacol Ther"},{"key":"ref31","first-page":"461","article-title":"Acetic acid bacteria (Gluconacetobacter hansenii QP-1) relieves nasal discomforts - a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled study","volume":"47","author":"Yoshioka","year":"2019","journal-title":"Jpn Pharmacol Ther"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Nutrition"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnut.2025.1568329\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]],"date-time":"2025-06-25T12:10:45Z","timestamp":1750853445000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnut.2025.1568329\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]]},"references-count":31,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fnut.2025.1568329"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnut.2025.1568329","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-861X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-861X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]]},"article-number":"1568329"}}