Gut Microbiota as a Target for Preventive and Therapeutic Intervention against Food Allergy

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in immune system development and function. Modification in the gut microbiota composition (dysbiosis) early in life is a critical factor affecting the development of food allergy. Many environmental factors including caesarean delivery, lack of breast milk, drugs, antiseptic agents, and a low-fiber/high-fat diet can induce gut microbiota dysbiosis, and have been associated with the occurrence of food allergy. New technologies and experimental tools have provided information regarding the importance of select bacteria on immune tolerance mechanisms. Short-chain fatty acids are crucial metabolic products of gut microbiota responsible for many protective effects against food allergy. These compounds are involved in epigenetic regulation of the immune system. These evidences provide a foundation for developing innovative strategies to prevent and treat food allergy. Here, we present an overview on the potential role of gut microbiota as the target of intervention against food allergy.

Characterization of Fecal Microbiota, Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Lactic Acid Concentrations in 5 - 8-Year-Old Children with Cow Milk Protein Allergy

“…High-throughput sequencing technology is commonly used to analyze comprehensively the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota. It can identify approximately 80% more gut microbiota which was hardly identified by culture-based microbiological methods (15). The fecal microbiota characteristics had been known and clarified using the high-throughput sequencing technology, particularly in the allergic diseases, including food allergy (16), atopic eczema (17), and allergic atopic dermatitis (18).…”

The Impact of Air Pollution on Intestinal Microbiome of Asthmatic Children: A Panel Study

“…Just as microbiome in asthma play an important role in pathogenesis, phenotype and response to treatment [31,32], gut microbiota had been as a target for preventing and treating allergic disease [33].This study found the main variation in composition of intestinal microbiome in asthmatic children, it always found some microorganism biomarkers for asthma or air pollution, which may help to reduce and prevent children asthma through adjusted the composition of intestinal microbiome. And air pollution could impact on intestinal microbiome both in asthmatic and healthy children, personal protective measures for children should be strengthened in polluted day, which can help to research the mechanism of asthma influenced by air pollution and help to prevent asthma development.…”

Contribution of Dietary PUFAs and Micronutrients in the Protection against Food Allergy Development

“…Microbiome disturbances have been reported to be associated with different types of allergies. Changes in (children's) microbiome are claimed to be important in the increase in food allergy cases although it is not completely evident what is cause or consequence [9]. Such microbiome changes can be caused by, among others, an increased intake of fat and processed food, reduced intake of dietary fibres, and fruit and vegetables, overconsumption of junk food and the use of antibiotics during pregnancy and/or in early life.…”

“…A, probably non-exhaustive, sum-up of factors contributing to increased allergy prevalence are thought to be Caesarean section, exposure to pollution (fine dust) and e.g. smoking behaviour [9]. Therefore, the need for prevention and resolving allergy is becoming of major concern.…”