Abstract: A method to stimulate ?-defensin production in oral epithelial cells of a subject in need thereof, that includes administering a food or drink containing Lactobacillus helveticus cells to a subject in need of stimulating ?-defensin production in oral epithelial cells.

Abstract: A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a novel material increasing antimicrobial peptide production from epithelial cells and thereby having an infection-preventing effect. The present invention provides a composition for promoting antimicrobial peptide production containing lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus as an active ingredient. The present invention also provides a composition for promoting antimicrobial peptide production containing a component derived from a Lactobacillus bacterial cell as an active ingredient. The present invention further provides a composition for promoting antimicrobial peptide production in which the component derived from a bacterial cell is one or more selected from the group consisting of an S-layer protein and a degradation product of the S-layer protein.