Effect of early postnatal supplementation of newborns with probiotic strain O83:K24:H31 on allergy incidence, dendritic cells, and microbiota.

Introduction: Probiotic administration seems to be a rational approach to promote maturation of the neonatal immune system. Mutual interaction of the microbiota with the host immune system is critical for the setting of appropriate immune responses including a tolerogenic one and thevmaintenance of homeostasis. On the other hand, our knowledge on the modes of actions of probiotics is still scarce.

The Impact of Probiotic Strain O83:K24:H31 on the Maturation of Dendritic Cells and Immunoregulatory Functions In Vitro and In Vivo.

Early postnatal events are important for the development of the neonatal immune system. Harboring the pioneering microorganisms forming the microbiota of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract is important for priming the immune system, as well as inducing appropriate tolerance to the relatively innocuous environmental antigens and compounds of normal healthy microbiota. Early postnatal supplementation of suitable, safe probiotics could accelerate this process.

Value of cord blood Treg population properties and function-associated characteristics for predicting allergy development in childhood.

Allergic diseases represent some of the most common immunological disorders with high clinical and economic impact. Despite intensive research, there are still few universally accepted and reliable biomarkers capable of predicting their development at an early age. There is therefore a pressing need for identification of potential predictive factors and validation of their prognostic value by correlating them with allergy development.

Lower Functional and Proportional Characteristics of Cord Blood Treg of Male Newborns Compared with Female Newborns.

Understanding the early events involved in the induction of immune tolerance to harmless environmental antigens and microbiota compounds could reveal potential targets for allergic disease therapy or prevention. Regulatory T cells (Treg), particularly induced Treg (iTreg), are crucial for the induction and maintenance of tolerance against environmental antigens including allergens. A decrease in the number and/or function of Treg or iTreg could represent an early predictor of allergy development.

Different immune response of dendritic cells of newborns of allergic and healthy mothers to bacterial stimuli.

Continuous increasing incidence of allergic diseases is calling for identifying early prognostic markers pointing to increased risk of allergy development and establishing protocols for preventive strategies limiting allergy development in predisposed individuals. It is important to better understand the critical events occurring in early postnatal life, especially the interaction of a newborn with microbial compounds important for the maturation of the neonatal immune system and setting immunoregulatory responses as well. Dendritic cells (DC) together with the cytokine microenvironment play an important role in priming of immune responses.

Distinct characteristics of Tregs of newborns of healthy and allergic mothers.

Allergic diseases represent a major issue in clinical and experimental immunology due to their high and increasing incidence worldwide. Allergy status of the mother remains the best predictor of an individual's increased risk of allergy development. Dysregulation of the balance between different branches of immune response, chiefly excessive polarization towards Th2, is the underlying cause of allergic diseases.

Decreased allergy incidence in children supplemented with E. coli O83:K24:H31 and its possible modes of action.

The growing knowledge of the key role of microbiota in the maturation of neonatal immune system suggests that manipulation of microbiota could be exploited in hampering allergy development. In this study, Escherichia coli O83:K24:H31 (EcO83) was administered to newborns that were followed prospectively. Several immunological characteristics (cytokines, specific IgE, total T regulatory cells (Treg) and subpopulation of natural Treg (nTreg) and induced Treg (iTreg)) were tested in peripheral blood of 8-year-old children.

Different capacity of in vitro generated myeloid dendritic cells of newborns of healthy and allergic mothers to respond to probiotic strain E. coli O83:K24:H31.

Allergic diseases belong to one of the most common diseases with steadily increasing incidence even among young children. There is an urgent need to identify a prognostic marker pointing to increased risk of allergy development enabling early preventive measures introduction. It has been shown that administration of selected probiotic strains or mixtures could prevent allergy development.

The effect of the colostral cells on gene expression of cytokines in cord blood cells.

Beneficial effect of maternal milk is acknowledged, but there is still question whether maternal milk from allergic mother is as good as from healthy one. In our study, we have assayed the effect of cells from colostrum of healthy and allergic mothers on gene expression of cytokines in cord blood cells of newborns of healthy and allergic mothers. Cytokines typical for Th1 (IL-2, IFN-gamma), Th2 (IL-4, IL-13), Tregs (IL-10, TGF-beta), and IL-8 were followed.

Immunomodulatory properties of subcellular fractions of a G+ bacterium, Bacillus firmus.

Mucosal immunization with non-living antigens usually requires the use of an adjuvant. The adjuvant activity of Bacillus firmus in the mucosal immunization of mice was described by our laboratory previously. In the present study, subcellular localization of B.

Cytokine expression in the colostral cells of healthy and allergic mothers.

There is no doubt about the beneficial effect of breastfeeding on the newborn's immune system. It is not fully elucidated what the differences are between the colostrum/milk of healthy and allergic mothers and how beneficial breastfeeding by an allergic mother is. The gene expression of selected cytokines was tested in cells isolated from colostra of healthy and allergic mothers using quantitative real-time PCR.

Adjuvant effect of Bacillus firmus on the expression of cytokines and toll-like receptors in mouse nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) after intranasal immunization with inactivated influenza virus type A.

Due to the persisting threat of development of new highly pathogenic influenza A subtypes, a mucosal vaccination which would induce a potent and cross-protective reaction is desirable. We succeeded in mucosal immunization of mice with an inactivated influenza A virus by using delipidated Bacillus firmus (DBF) as adjuvant. The mechanism of adjuvant effect was followed in NALT by comparing the response after intranasal immunization by inactivated influenza virus type A (H1N1) alone, adjuvant alone (DBF), or by a mixture of virus+DBF.

Prevention of allergy in infants of allergic mothers by probiotic Escherichia coli.

Background: The objective is to study the effect of after-birth oral colonization by a probiotic Escherichia coli strain in infants of allergic mothers to reduce occurrence of allergy later in life.

Methods: In a controlled clinical trial, 158 infants were randomly divided into groups of (i) 56 colonized infants of allergic mothers, (ii) 57 control infants of allergic mothers, and (iii) 45 control infants of healthy mothers. Incidence rates of bacterial pathogens in stool and levels of anti-E.

Protective and cross-protective mucosal immunization of mice by influenza virus type A with bacterial adjuvant.

Mucosal immunization by inactivated viruses often fails to evoke a sufficient immune response. Intensive efforts have been made to enhance the response by suitable adjuvants. We used the G+ nonpathogenic delipidated bacterium Bacillus firmus with pronounced immunostimulatory properties as an adjuvant for immunizing mice with inactivated influenza virus type A.

Effect of breast milk of healthy and allergic mothers on in vitro stimulation of cord blood lymphocytes.

Maternal milk has beneficial effects on the development and function of the newborn's immune system. Whether the milk of allergic mother has the same effects as the milk of healthy mothers is not yet quite clear. To contribute to the characterization of its immunomodulatory action, we tested the effect of milk of healthy and allergic mothers on the proliferation and immunoglobulin formation in cultures of cord blood mononuclear leucocytes (CBML) of newborns of healthy and allergic mothers.

Cytokine levels in healthy and allergic mothers and their children during the first year of life.

To assess the regulatory changes of immune system in children genetically pre-disposed to allergic diseases and in their mothers, we tested cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IFN-gamma and TGF-beta in 21 healthy and 21 allergic mothers (serum at the time of delivery, colostrum and milk throughout the suckling period) and their children (cord blood, venous blood and stool filtrates) up to 1 yr of age. Samples were taken at the time of delivery, 4 days post-partum and then after 3, 6 and 12 months. Significant differences between the healthy and the allergic group were found in the levels of IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 and IFN-gamma.