The Relationship between the Infant Gut Microbiota and Allergy. The Role of Bifidobacterium breve and Prebiotic Oligosaccharides in the Activation of Anti-Allergic Mechanisms in Early Life

Abstract

The increase in allergy prevalence observed in recent decades may be a consequence of early intestinal dysbiosis. The intestinal microbiota is formed in the first 1000 days of life, when it is particularly sensitive to various factors, such as the composition of the mother’s microbiota, type of delivery, infant’s diet, number of siblings, contact with animals, and antibiotic therapy. Breastfeeding and vaginal birth favorably affect the formation of an infant’s intestinal microbiota and protect against allergy development. The intestinal microbiota of these infants is characterized by an early dominance of Bifidobacterium, which may have a significant impact on the development of immune tolerance. Bifidobacterium breve is a species commonly isolated from the intestines of healthy breastfed infants and from human milk. This review outlines the most important environmental factors affecting microbiota formation and the importance of Bifidobacterium species (with a particular emphasis on Bifidobacterium breve) in microbiota modulation towards anti-allergic processes. In addition, we present the concept, which assumes that infant formulas containing specific probiotic Bifidobacterium breve strains and prebiotic oligosaccharides may be useful in allergy management in non-breastfed infants.

Advances and novel developments in environmental influences on the development of atopic diseases

“…71 Bifidobacterium breve is a species commonly isolated from the intestines of healthy breastfed infants and from human milk and is thought to have a significant impact on the development of immune tolerance. 72 In a longitudinal study of a Canadian child cohort, it was found that infants at risk of asthma showed gut microbial changes during the first 100 days of life. Four bacteria taxa were reduced in high-risk children and this was accompanied by reduced deregulation of enterohepatic metabolites.…”

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Reduces β-conglycinin-Allergy-Induced Apoptotic Cells by Regulating Bacteroides and Bile Secretion Pathway in Intestinal Contents of BALB/c Mice

“…From our experimental results, the relative abundance of Enterobacter increased in β-CG allergic mice and then decreased after LGG intervention. According to reports, the imbalance of gut microbiota is directly related to allergies [ 30 ]. The microbial composition in the intestinal tract of normal mice is diverse, and the proportion of Enterobacter is low.…”

The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in the Interplay between a Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet and the Infant Gut Microbiota and Its Therapeutic Implications for Reducing Asthma

“…Treatment of HT-29 cells with B. breve strain Bre10 suppresses LPS and TNF-α-induced IL-8 mRNA and protein expression levels [ 109 ]. The B. breve strain M-16V colonizing the breastfed infant gut is regarded as safety [ 111 ], and exerts anti-inflammatory effects on allergic diseases after a single supplementation [ 111 , 112 ], or in combination with B. infantis M-63 and B longum BB536 [ 113 ], including both prenatal and postnatal periods [ 114 ].The probiotic B. breve strain M-16V and galacto/fructo-oligosaccharide (GOS/FOS) prebiotic mixture supplemented with fortified milk increase the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium spp. [ 115 ].…”