The intestinal microflora in allergic Estonian and Swedish 2‐year‐old children

Björkstén, Bengt; Naaber, Paul; Sepp, Epp; Mikelsaar, Marika

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2222.1999.00560.x

Cited by 815 publications

(596 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…However, gram-positive bacteria that are not strictly anaerobic, such as lactobacilli, may also translocate (34). Since the composition of the gut flora of allergic children and the composition of the gut flora of nonallergic children have been observed to differ, gastrointestinal exposure to microbes may be significant for protection against allergy (9,10,12,27). However, it is still not clear how different groups or species of bacteria modulate the immune system of the host or activate various types of APCs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pattern of Cytokine Responses to Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Commensal Bacteria Is Profoundly Changed when Monocytes Differentiate into Dendritic Cells

Karlsson¹,

Larsson²,

Wold

et al. 2004

Infect Immun

119

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The normal gastrointestinal bacterial flora is crucial for the maturation of acquired immunity via effects on antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Here we investigated how two types of APCs, monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs), react to different bacterial strains typical of the commensal intestinal microflora. Purified human monocytes and monocyte-derived DCs were stimulated with UV-inactivated gram-positive (Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium adolescentis) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Veillonella parvula) bacterial strains. Monocytes produced higher levels of interleukin 12p70 (IL-12p70) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), as detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in response to L. plantarum than in response to E. coli and V. parvula. In contrast, DCs secreted large amounts of IL-12p70, TNF, IL-6, and IL-10 in response to E. coli and V. parvula but were practically unresponsive to L. plantarum and B. adolescentis. The lack of a response to the gram-positive strains correlated with lower surface expression of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) on DCs than on monocytes. The surface expression of TLR4 on DCs was undetectable when it was analyzed by flow cytometry, but blocking this receptor decreased the TNF production in response to V. parvula, indicating that TLR4 is expressed at a low density on DCs. Gamma interferon increased the expression of TLR4 on DCs and also potentiated the cytokine response to the gram-negative strains. Our results indicate that when monocytes differentiate into DCs, their ability to respond to different commensal bacteria dramatically changes, and they become unresponsive to probiotic gram-positive bacteria. These results may have important implications for the abilities of different groups of commensal bacteria to regulate mucosal and systemic immunity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pattern of Cytokine Responses to Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Commensal Bacteria Is Profoundly Changed when Monocytes Differentiate into Dendritic Cells

Karlsson¹,

Larsson²,

Wold

et al. 2004

Infect Immun

119

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“…Bjo¨rksten et al (102) examined further whether atopic diseases among children are associated with differences in their intestinal microflora in Estonia with a low and in Sweden with a high prevalence of atopy at the age of 2 years. They found that the atopic children in both countries were significantly less often colonized with lactobacilli as compared with the nonatopic children, and concluded that differences in the indigenous intestinal flora might affect the development and priming of the immune system in early life.…”

Section: Exposure To Commensals In the Gastrointestinal Tractmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asthma and atopy – the price of affluence?

Hertzen

Haahtela²

2004

Allergy

121

110

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Irrespective of improved knowledge of many aspects of atopic diseases, the unfavorable trends in their prevalence particularly among children could not have been reversed. A growing body of evidence suggests that something may lack from our societal affluence that has the capacity to provide protection against the development of atopic diseases. Much attention during the last years has been devoted to the hygiene hypothesis. This review outlines the impact of environment and lifestyle, particularly from the perspective of the East–West gradient, on the development of atopic diseases, with a special emphasis on the hygiene hypothesis in its broadest sense.

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“…This hypothesis is supported by the observations of changes in the intestinal flora of atopic children, with a prevalence of clostridia [74,75]. In 2007, the first study was published postulating the role of probiotics in the recurrence of allergic respiratory symptoms in children.…”

Section: Allergic and Atopic Diseases In Childrenmentioning

confidence: 81%

Probiotics and health: An evidence-based review

Aureli

Capurso

Castellazzi

et al. 2011

Pharmacological Research

232

131

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a b s t r a c tThe intestinal microbiota is an ecosystem formed by a variety of ecological niches, made of several bacterial species and a very large amount of strains. The microbiota is in close contact with the intestinal mucosa or epithelial interface which is, after the respiratory area, the largest surface of the body, occupying approximately 250-400 m 2 . The physiological activities of the microbiota are manifold and are just being unraveled. Based on the observations of the multiple roles played by the microbiota in health and disease, the notion of modifying it with appropriate formulations, i.e. probiotics, is being tested in several settings.This review summarizes the current knowledge on probiotics and discusses both limitations and acquired evidence to support their use in preventive and therapeutic medicine.

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The intestinal microflora in allergic Estonian and Swedish 2‐year‐old children

Cited by 815 publications

References 21 publications

Pattern of Cytokine Responses to Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Commensal Bacteria Is Profoundly Changed when Monocytes Differentiate into Dendritic Cells

Pattern of Cytokine Responses to Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Commensal Bacteria Is Profoundly Changed when Monocytes Differentiate into Dendritic Cells

Asthma and atopy – the price of affluence?

Probiotics and health: An evidence-based review

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