2. Mycobacterium vaccae
Mycobacterium vaccae: is •
a nonpathogenic species of
the Mycobacteriaceae
family of bacteria
that lives naturally in soil.
Its name originates
(from Latin word,vacca (cow
3. Scientific classification
: Kingdom Bacteria
: Phylum Actinobacteria
: Order Actinomycetales
: Suborder Corynebacterineae
: Family Mycobacteriaceae
: Genus Mycobacterium
: Species M. vaccae
4. Since it was first cultured from cow Dung in •
Austria , Research areas being Pursued
with regard to killedMycobacterium
Vaccae vaccine include immunotherapy for
Allergic asthma, cancer, depression,
psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema andl
tuberculosis
5. …Depression is
One of the most common and most serious.1
mental health problems facing people today.
2.Not simply a passing sadness or blue mood
that lifts in a few hours or days ,but its persistent.
3.Aserious medical illness that involves that
.brain
6. discovered
• The effects of M. vaccae were
accidentally discovered over a decade
ago by Mary O’Brien, an oncologist at
Royal
Marsden Hospital in London. In an
experimental treatment for lung cancer
patients,
7. discovered
• Dr. O’Brien inoculated the patients with
heat-killed M. vaccae. She observed that
not only did the patients exhibit fewer
signs of cancer, but they also reported
less nausea and pain, and an overall
greater sense of well-being and
happiness.
8. experiment
• Dr Lowry turned to mice. His
hypothesis was that the
immune response to M.
vaccae induces the brain to
produce serotonin. This
molecule is a
neurotransmitter
(a chemical messenger
between nerve cells)
and one symptom of
depression is low levels of it.
9. experiment
• Dr Lowry and his team injected their mice
with M. vaccae and examined them to find
out what was going on. First, they looked
for a rise in the level of cytokines, which
are molecules produced by the immune
system that trigger responses in the brain.
As expected, cytokine levels rose. They
then looked directly in their animals' brains
for the effect of those cytokines.
10. experiment
• Cytokines actually act on sensory nerves that
run to the brain from organs such as the heart
and the lungs. That action stimulates a brain
structure called the dorsal raphe nucleus. It was
this nucleus that Dr Lowry focused on. He found
a group of cells within it that connect directly to
the limbic system, the brain's emotion-
generating area. These cells release serotonin
into the limbic system in response to sensory-
nerve stimulation.
11. experiment
• The consequence of that release is stress-
free mice. Dr Lowry was able to measure
their stress by dropping them into a tiny
swimming pool. Previous research has
shown that unstressed mice enjoy
swimming, while stressed ones do not. His
mice swam around enthusiastically.
12. Result
• This result is intriguing for two reasons.
First: it offers the possibility of treating
clinical depression with what is, in effect, a
vaccination. Indeed, M. vaccae is
considered a bit of a wonder-bug in this
context. Besides cancer, and now
depression
13. Result
• Second: it opens a new line of inquiry into
why depression is becoming more
common. Two other conditions that have
increased in frequency recently are asthma
and allergies, both of which are caused by
the immune system attacking cells of the
body it is supposed to protect. One
explanation for the rise of these two
conditions is the hygiene hypothesis.
14. Result
• This suggests a lack of childhood
exposure to harmless bugs is leading to
improperly primed immune systems, which
then go on to look for trouble where none
exists.
