Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for treating inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease, and other related conditions, by locally administering to the intestinal mucosa of a subject having inflammatory bowel disease a therapeutically effective amount of IL-27 or a therapeutic variant or fragment thereof. The invention further provides a method to treat inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering to the subject a recombinant microorganism capable of producing a therapeutically effective amount of IL-27 or a variant or fragment thereof in situ in the intestinal mucosa.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of autoimmune and allergic diseases by mucosal delivery by micro-organism, in particular Lactococcus lactis, of secreted immunodominant antigens.

Abstract: A method for inducing immune tolerance to type I diabetes in a mammal by mucosal delivery of an antigen involved in the induction of type I diabetes such as pro-insulin or insulin is disclosed. The antigen involved in the induction of type I diabetes is delivered together with an IL-10 secreting micro-organism such as Lactococcus lactis and a anti-CD3 antibody.

Abstract: The present invention comprises the discovery and development of an effective cryoprotectant composition, without containing skim milk or any other animal-derived compounds, to achieve long-term stability of freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria (LAB), at different temperatures, whereby the retention of viability of the freeze-dried LAB after 6 months of storage, preferably after 9 months of storage, more preferably after 12 months of storage is more than 50%. The invention is in the field of producing freeze dried bacteria, in particular Lactic acid bacteria. More in particular, the invention relates to the use of a novel combination of cryoprotectants for increasing the viability of bacteria after freeze drying, improving the texture of the lyofilized cake for easy grinding and improving the long term stability of the freeze dried bacteria at different temperature conditions. The invention further relates to such freeze dried bacteria for use in food industry or in human or animal health applications.

Abstract: A method for inducing immune tolerance to type I diabetes in a mammal by mucosal delivery of an antigen involved in the induction of type I diabetes such as pro-insulin or insulin is disclosed. The antigen involved in the induction of type I diabetes is delivered together with an IL-10 secreting micro-organism such as Lactococcus lactis and a anti-CD3 antibody.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microorganism, preferably a bacterial strain, preferably a non-pathogenic strain, preferably a non-invasive strain, preferably a food grade strain, preferably a gram-positive bacterial strain, delivering a trefoil peptide in vivo. Preferably the trefoil peptide is TFF1. The present invention further relates to a method for the delivery of trefoil peptide to the gastro-intestinal tract comprising the administration of such a bacterial strain. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a trefoil peptide delivering bacterium as well as methods of treatment of acute gastro-intestinal inflammatory diseases comprising administration of transformed bacterial strains, particularly for treating acute colitis, including but not limited to acute flare-ups of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in humans, as well as for treating gastro-intestinal disorders of a similar nature in other animal species.