  By using most of the present CMB and LSS measurements and the BBN constraints
on the primordial helium abundance, Y_p, we set bounds on the radiation content
of the Universe and neutrino properties. We consider lepton asymmetric
cosmological models parametrized by the neutrino degeneracy parameter \xi_{\nu}
and the variation of the relativistic degrees of freedom, \Delta N_{oth}^{eff},
due to possible other physical processes that occurred between BBN and
structure formation epoch. We found that present CMB and LSS data constraints
the neutrino degeneracy parameter at \xi_{\nu} \leq 0.722, implying a lepton
asymmetry of the neutrino background {\cal L}_{\nu} \leq 0.614 (2-\sigma). We
also found \Delta N^{eff}_{oth}=0.572^{+1.972}_{-1.780}, the contribution to
the effective number of relativistic neutrino species
N^{eff}=3.058^{+1.971}_{-1.178} and a primordial helium abundance
Y_p=0.249^{+0.014}_{-0.016} (2-\sigma errors). These results bring an important
improvement over the similar ones obtained by using WMAP~1-year and older LSS
data or the WMAP~3-year data alone and the standard primordial helium abundance
value Y_p=0.24, relaxing the stringent BBN constraint on the neutrino
degeneracy parameter (\xi_{\nu} \leq 0.07). We forecast that the CMB
temperature and polarization maps observed with high angular resolutions and
sensitivity by the future Planck Mission will constraint the primordial
primordial helium abundance at Y_p=0.247 \pm 0.002 (2-\sigma errors) in
agreement with the most stringent limits on Y_p given by the BBN and the
neutrino degeneracy parameter at \xi_{\nu} \leq 0.280 (2-\sigma), not excluding
the possibility of larger lepton asymmetry. This work has been done on behalf
of Planck-LFI activities.
