Abstract: This invention provides a means for screening for lactic acid bacteria having immunoregulatory functions in a simple and rapid manner. This invention provides a method for screening for or producing lactic acid bacteria having immunoregulatory functions comprising determining the number of the test lactic acid bacteria bound to the uromodulin (Umod) protein, lactic acid bacteria obtained by such method, and an immunoregulatory composition comprising such lactic acid bacteria.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide means for efficiently incorporating substances such as lactic acid bacteria, which are useful for intestinal immune induction, into the intestinal tract. According to the present invention, the following are provided: an agent for promoting substance incorporation in the intestinal tract which has a surface layer protein (S-layer protein) having peptide motifs found in common among lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus; a complex of the agent for promoting substance incorporation in the intestinal tract and a substance to be incorporated into the intestinal tract; a beverage or food product or a pharmaceutical product having the complex; and a method for screening for a lactic acid bacterium having a high level of ability to be transferred into the intestinal tract, by determining the expression level of an S-layer protein in the surface layers of bacterial cells of a test lactic acid bacterium.

Abstract: This invention provides a means for screening for lactic acid bacteria having immunoregulatory functions in a simple and rapid manner. This invention provides a method for screening for or producing lactic acid bacteria having immunoregulatory functions comprising determining the number of the test lactic acid bacteria bound to the uromodulin (Umod) protein, lactic acid bacteria obtained by such method, and an immunoregulatory composition comprising such lactic acid bacteria.

Abstract: Provided is an agent having at least one of an improving effect on vascular endothelial functions and an inhibitory effect on vascular intimal thickening, as well as a prophylactic of arteriosclerosis, which have excellent safety, improve functions associated with the vascular endothelium, have effects of preventing various diseases associated with vascular endothelial functions and of inhibiting vascular intimal thickening, and may be expected to provide prophylactic effect on arteriosclerosis. The agents of the present invention contain, as an active component: (a) Xaa-Pro-Pro, (b) a hydrolysate of animal milk casein containing Xaa-Pro-Pro, or a concentrate thereof, or (c) a fermentation product containing Ile-Pro-Pro and/or Val-Pro-Pro obtained by fermenting a starting material containing milk protein with a bacterial strain of the species Lactobacillus helveticus.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent having a suppressive action against the thickening of the heart wall, a prophylactic agent for heart failure containing the above described agent, and functional foods expected to have a prophylactic effect for heart failure. The agent for suppressing heart wall thickening comprises Xaa Pro Pro as an active ingredient.

Abstract: There is provided a rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake that has an inhibitory effect on rheumatoid arthritis and is excellent in safety. The rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake of the present invention contains, as an active component, a casein hydrolysate containing free amino acids and peptides obtained by hydrolyzing animal milk casein to have an average chain length of not longer than 2.1 in terms of the number of amino acid residues, or a mixture of free amino acids and peptides contained in the hydrolysate.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent having a suppressive action against kidney glomerular disease and renal arteriosclerosis, a prophylactic agent for renal failure containing the above described agent, and functional foods expected to have a prophylactic effect for renal failure. The agent for preventing kidney glomerular disease and renal arteriosclerosis comprises Xaa Pro Pro as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent having a suppressive action against the thickening of the heart wall, a prophylactic agent for heart failure containing the above described agent, and functional foods expected to have a prophylactic effect for heart failure. The agent for suppressing heart wall thickening comprises Xaa Pro Pro as an active ingredient.

Abstract: There is provided an agent having at least one of an improving effect on vascular endothelial functions and an inhibitory effect on vascular intimal thickening, as well as a prophylactic of arteriosclerosis, which have excellent safety, improve functions associated with the vascular endothelium, have effects of preventing various diseases associated with vascular endothelial functions and of inhibiting vascular intimal thickening, and may be expected to provide prophylactic effect on arteriosclerosis or the like. The agents of the present invention contain, as an active component: (a) Xaa-Pro-Pro, (b) a hydrolysate of animal milk casein containing Xaa-Pro-Pro, or a concentrate thereof, or (c) a fermentation product containing Ile-Pro-Pro and/or Val-Pro-Pro obtained by fermenting a starting material containing milk protein with a bacterial strain of the species Lactobacillus helveticus.

Abstract: There is provided a vasodilator having an endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect, a prophylactic of arteriosclerosis, and functional food having an endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect, which is suitable for daily and regular intake and excellent in safety. The vasodilator and the functional food according to the present invention are characterized in at least one of the tripeptides Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro, or a proteolytic product containing Val-Pro-Pro and/or Ile-Pro-Pro, contained as an active component.

Abstract: There is provided a rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake that has an inhibitory effect on rheumatoid arthritis and is excellent in safety. The rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake of the present invention contains, as an active component, a casein hydrolysate containing free amino acids and peptides obtained by hydrolyzing animal milk casein to have an average chain length of not longer than 2.1 in terms of the number of amino acid residues, or a mixture of free amino acids and peptides contained in the hydrolysate.

Abstract: There is provided a rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake that has an inhibitory effect on rheumatoid arthritis and is excellent in safety. The rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake of the present invention contains, as an active component, a casein hydrolysate containing free amino acids and peptides obtained by hydrolyzing animal milk casein to have an average chain length of not longer than 2.1 in terms of the number of amino acid residues, or a mixture of free amino acids and peptides contained in the hydrolysate.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent having a suppressive action against kidney glomerular disease and renal arteriosclerosis, a prophylactic agent for renal failure containing the above described agent, and functional foods expected to have a prophylactic effect for renal failure. The agent for preventing kidney glomerular disease and renal arteriosclerosis comprises Xaa Pro Pro as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent having a suppressive action against the thickening of the heart wall, a prophylactic agent for heart failure containing the above described agent, and functional foods expected to have a prophylactic effect for heart failure. The agent for suppressing heart wall thickening comprises Xaa Pro Pro as an active ingredient.

Abstract: There is provided an agent having at least one of an improving effect on vascular endothelial functions and an inhibitory effect on vascular intimal thickening, as well as a prophylactic of arteriosclerosis, which have excellent safety, improve functions associated with the vascular endothelium, have effects of preventing various diseases associated with vascular endothelial functions and of inhibiting vascular intimal thickening, and may be expected to provide prophylactic effect on arteriosclerosis or the like. The agents of the present invention contain, as an active component: (a) Xaa-Pro-Pro, (b) a hydrolysate of animal milk casein containing Xaa-Pro-Pro, or a concentrate thereof, or (c) a fermentation product containing Ile-Pro-Pro and/or Val-Pro-Pro obtained by fermenting a starting material containing milk protein with a bacterial strain of the species Lactobacillus helveticus.

Abstract: There is provided a vasodilator having an endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect, a prophylactic of arteriosclerosis, and functional food having an endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect, which is suitable for daily and regular intake and excellent in safety. The vasodilator and the functional food according to the present invention are characterized in at least one of the tripeptides Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro, or a proteolytic product containing Val-Pro-Pro and/or Ile-Pro-Pro, contained as an active component.