Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics to prevent or combat air pollution consequences: The gut-lung axis.

Air pollution exposure is a public health emergency, which attributes globally to an estimated seven million deaths on a yearly basis We are all exposed to air pollutants, varying from ambient air pollution hanging over cities to dust inside the home. It is a mixture of airborne particulate matter and gases that can be subdivided into three categories based on particle diameter. The smallest category called PM is the most abundant.

Role of selenium in IgE mediated soybean allergy development.

Food allergy is a pathological immune reaction triggered by normal innocuous dietary proteins. Soybean is widely used in many food products and has long been recognized as a source of high-quality proteins. However, soybean is listed as one of the 8 most significant food allergens.

Analysing the protection from respiratory tract infections and allergic diseases early in life by human milk components: the PRIMA birth cohort.

Background: Many studies support the protective effect of breastfeeding on respiratory tract infections. Although infant formulas have been developed to provide adequate nutritional solutions, many components in human milk contributing to the protection of newborns and aiding immune development still need to be identified. In this paper we present the methodology of the "Protecting against Respiratory tract lnfections through human Milk Analysis" (PRIMA) cohort, which is an observational, prospective and multi-centre birth cohort aiming to identify novel functions of components in human milk that are protective against respiratory tract infections and allergic diseases early in life.

Dietary Supplementation throughout Life with Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides and/or n-3 Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Healthy Mice Modulates the Gut-Immune System-Brain Axis.

The composition and activity of the intestinal microbial community structures can be beneficially modulated by nutritional components such as non-digestible oligosaccharides and omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs). These components affect immune function, brain development and behaviour. We investigated the additive effect of a dietary combination of scGOS:lcFOS and n-3 PUFAs on caecal content microbial community structures and development of the immune system, brain and behaviour from day of birth to early adulthood in healthy mice.

Selenium-Enriched Soy Protein Has Antioxidant Potential via Modulation of the NRF2-HO1 Signaling Pathway.

Selenium (Se)-enriched proteins are an important dietary source of Se for humans; however, only a few Se-enriched proteins have been identified. In the present study, we tested for potential antioxidant activity by Se-enriched soy protein, both in vitro and in vivo. Se-enriched soy protein isolate (S-SPI) was shown to have a higher free radical scavenging ability compared to ordinary soy protein isolate (O-SPI).

Selenium Modulates the Allergic Response to Whey Protein in a Mouse Model for Cow's Milk Allergy.

Cow's milk allergy is a common food allergy in infants, and is associated with an increased risk of developing other allergic diseases. Dietary selenium (Se), one of the essential micronutrients for humans and animals, is an important bioelement which can influence both innate and adaptive immune responses. However, the effects of Se on food allergy are still largely unknown.

Limited Lactosylation of Beta-Lactoglobulin from Cow's Milk Exerts Strong Influence on Antigenicity and Degranulation of Mast Cells.

Background: beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) is one of the major cow's milk proteins and the most abundant allergen in whey. Heating is a common technologic treatment applied during milk transformational processes. Maillardation of BLG in the presence of reducing sugars and elevated temperatures may influence its antigenicity and allergenicity.

Nutritional Interventions to Prevent the Development of Atopic Diseases: A Focus on Cow's Milk Allergy.

In the western world the prevalence of atopic diseases such as food allergies is increasing highly significantly. One of the earliest and most prevalent food allergies occurring in the first year of life is cow's milk allergy. No treatment is available and only avoidance of the cow's milk allergens prevents the occurrence of an allergic reaction.

The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies.

Infectious diseases and infections remain a leading cause of death in low-income countries and a major risk to vulnerable groups, such as infants and the elderly. The immune system plays a crucial role in the susceptibility, persistence, and clearance of these infections. With 70-80% of immune cells being present in the gut, there is an intricate interplay between the intestinal microbiota, the intestinal epithelial layer, and the local mucosal immune system.

Decreased Histone Acetylation Levels at Th1 and Regulatory Loci after Induction of Food Allergy.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy against cow's milk protein fractions such as whey is one of the most common food-related allergic disorders of early childhood. Histone acetylation is an important epigenetic mechanism, shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of allergies. However, its role in food allergy remains unknown.

Dietary Vitamin D Supplementation Is Ineffective in Preventing Murine Cow's Milk Allergy, Irrespective of the Presence of Nondigestible Oligosaccharides.

Introduction: Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies especially early in life. A mixture of nondigestible short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides, long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides, and pectin-derived acidic-oligosaccharides (GFA) may reduce allergy development and allergic symptoms in murine CMA. Recently, vitamin D (VitD) has been suggested to have beneficial effects in reducing allergy as well.

A multi-center assessment to compare residual allergenicity of partial hydrolyzed whey proteins in a murine model for cow's milk allergy - Comparison to the single parameter guinea pig model.

Introduction: This 4-center study is part of a project to validate a food allergy murine model for safety testing of hydrolyzed infant formulas.

Aim: The aim of the current multi-center experiment was to evaluate the residual allergenicity of three partial hydrolyzed whey proteins (pWH) in a multiple-parameter cow's milk allergy murine model and to compare to the classically used guinea pig model. Previous work showed differences in the magnitude of the allergic response to whey between centers.

Seeking Windows of Opportunity to Shape Lifelong Immune Health: A Network-Based Strategy to Predict and Prioritize Markers of Early Life Immune Modulation.

A healthy immune status is strongly conditioned during early life stages. Insights into the molecular drivers of early life immune development and function are prerequisite to identify strategies to enhance immune health. Even though several starting points for targeted immune modulation have been identified and are being developed into prophylactic or therapeutic approaches, there is no regulatory guidance on how to assess the risk and benefit balance of such interventions.

Altered microbial community structure and metabolism in cow's milk allergic mice treated with oral immunotherapy and fructo-oligosaccharides.

Previously, we showed enhanced efficacy of oral immunotherapy (OIT) using fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS, prebiotics) added to the diet of cow's milk allergic mice indicated by a reduction in clinical symptoms and mast cell degranulation. Prebiotics are fermented by gut bacteria, affecting both bacterial composition and availability of metabolites (i.e.

Network-Based Selection of Candidate Markers and Assays to Assess the Impact of Oral Immune Interventions on Gut Functions.

To assess the safety and efficacy of oral immune interventions, it is important and required by regulation to assess the impact of those interventions not only on the immune system, but also on other organs such as the gut as the porte d'entrée. Despite clear indications that the immune system interacts with several physiological functions of the gut, it is still unknown which pathways and molecules are crucial to assessing the impact of nutritional immune interventions on gut functioning. Here we used a network-based systems biology approach to clarify the molecular relationships between immune system and gut functioning and to identify crucial biomarkers to assess effects on gut functions upon nutritional immune interventions.

Combined Exposure of Activated Intestinal Epithelial Cells to Nondigestible Oligosaccharides and CpG-ODN Suppresses Th2-Associated CCL22 Release While Enhancing Galectin-9, TGF, and Th1 Polarization.

Background: Short-chain galacto- and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scGOS/lcFOS) and CpG-ODN affect intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). Epithelial IL1 may contribute to allergic sensitization via autocrine mediator release affecting dendritic cells (DC). We studied whether IL1 contributes to Th2-associated mediator release by activated IEC and IEC/DC cocultures and possible modulation by scGOS/lcFOS±CpG-ODN.

A network-based approach for identifying suitable biomarkers for oral immunotherapy of food allergy.

Background: Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a promising therapeutic approach to treat food allergic patients. However, concerns with regards to safety and long-term efficacy of OIT remain. There is a need to identify biomarkers that predict, monitor and/or evaluate the effects of OIT.

Non-digestible oligosaccharides scFOS/lcFOS facilitate safe subcutaneous immunotherapy for peanut allergy.

Background: Improving the safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for food allergy is necessary to reduce side effects and achieve long-term tolerance. We determined the effect of dietary supplementation with 1% non-digestible short- and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS/lcFOS) on safety and efficacy of SCIT using a peanut allergy mouse model.

Methods: After sensitization, mice received a scFOS/lcFOS or control diet for the rest of the study.

Influence of mode of delivery on cytokine expression in cord blood.

The mode of delivery is a known risk factor for immune-related disorders. Normal term vaginal delivery is an inflammatory process and several cytokines are suggested to be involved. The purpose of the study was to evaluate differences in cord blood cytokine expression between modes of delivery in term-born children.

Supplementation of dietary non-digestible oligosaccharides from birth onwards improve social and reduce anxiety-like behaviour in male BALB/c mice.

The intestinal microbiota is acknowledged to be essential in brain development and behaviour. Their composition can be modulated by prebiotics such as short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides (scGOS) and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharide (lcFOS). Several studies reported potential health benefit of prebiotics on behaviour.

The Impact of Immune Interventions: A Systems Biology Strategy for Predicting Adverse and Beneficial Immune Effects.

Despite scientific advances it remains difficult to predict the risk and benefit balance of immune interventions. Since a few years, network models have been built based on comprehensive datasets at multiple molecular/cellular levels (genes, gene products, metabolic intermediates, macromolecules, cells) to illuminate functional and structural relationships. Here we used a systems biology approach to identify key immune pathways involved in immune health endpoints and rank crucial candidate biomarkers to predict adverse and beneficial effects of nutritional immune interventions.

Butyrate Enhances Desensitization Induced by Oral Immunotherapy in Cow's Milk Allergic Mice.

Background: In previous studies, we showed that a fructo-oligosaccharide- (FOS-) supplemented diet enhanced oral immunotherapy (OIT) efficacy in a mouse model for cow's milk allergy. Fermentation of FOS by intestinal bacteria leads to production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) including butyrate.

Aim: To investigate the contribution of butyrate in the enhanced efficacy of OIT + FOS.

Mice co-administrated with partially hydrolysed whey proteins and prebiotic fibre mixtures show allergen-specific tolerance and a modulated gut microbiota.

Non-breastfed infants at-risk of allergy are recommended to use a hydrolysed formula before the age of 6 months. The addition of prebiotics to this formula may reduce the allergy development in these infants, but clinical evidence is still inconclusive. This study evaluates (1) whether the exposure duration to different prebiotics alongside a partially hydrolysed whey protein (pHP) influences its' effectiveness to prevent allergy development and (2) whether the gut microbiota plays a role in this process.