Investigation of the Efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in Infants With Cow's Milk Protein Allergy: a Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

Probiotics in Infancy and Childhood for Food Allergy Prevention and Treatment

Food allergy represents a failure of oral tolerance mechanisms to dietary antigens. Over the past few years, food allergies have become a growing public health problem worldwide. Gut microbiota is believed to have a significant impact on oral tolerance to food antigens and in initiation and maintenance of food allergies. Therefore, probiotics have also been proposed in this field as a possible strategy for modulating both the gut microbiota and the immune system. In recent years, results from preclinical and clinical studies suggest a promising role for probiotics in food allergy prevention and treatment. However, future studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms of action of probiotics in food allergies and to design comparable study protocols using specific probiotic strains, defined doses and exposure times, and longer follow-up periods.

Bifidobacteria modulate immune response in pediatric patients with cow's milk protein allergy

BACKGROUND

In children with an allergy to cow's milk proteins (CMA), the altered composition of intestinal microbiota influences the immune tolerance to milk proteins (CMP). This study aims to investigate the effect of probiotics on the phenotype and activation status of peripheral basophils and lymphocytes in a pediatric CMA cohort.

METHODS

CMA children underwent 45 days of treatment with Bifidobacteria. The basophil degranulation and the immune phenotype of B cells, T helper cells, and regulatory T cells were analyzed in peripheral blood at diagnosis (T0), after a 45-day probiotic treatment (T1), and 45 days after the probiotic wash-out (T2).

RESULTS

We observed in probiotic-treated CMA patients a decrease in naive T lymphocytes. Among the CD3+ cell subsets, both naive and activated CD4+ cells resulted markedly reduced after taking probiotics, with the lowest percentages at T2. A decreased basophil degranulation was observed in response to all analyzed CMP at T1 compared to T0.

CONCLUSIONS

The probiotic treatment resulted in a decrease of circulating naive and activated CD4+ T cells, as well as degranulating basophils. These data suggest that the Bifidobacteria could have a beneficial effect in the modulation of oral tolerance to CMP.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN69069358. URL of registration: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN69069358 .

IMPACT

Probiotic treatment with Bifidobacteria induces a reduction of both naive and activated circulating CD4+ T cells in pediatric patients with cow's milk allergy (CMA). The probiotic supplementation induces a decreased basophil degranulation. The immunological tolerance persists even after 45 days of the probiotic wash-out. Bifidobacteria in vivo supplementation down-modulates the activation of innate and adaptive immunity in pediatric patients with cow's milk allergy. Bifidobacteria contribute to the development of immune tolerance in CMA patients.

Molecular Mechanism and Clinical Effects of Probiotics in the Management of Cow's Milk Protein Allergy

Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is the most common food allergy (FA) in infancy, affecting approximately 2% of children under 4 years of age. According to recent studies, the increasing prevalence of FAs can be associated with changes in composition and function of gut microbiota or "dysbiosis". Gut microbiota regulation, mediated by probiotics, may modulate the systemic inflammatory and immune responses, influencing the development of allergies, with possible clinical benefits. This narrative review collects the actual evidence of probiotics' efficacy in the management of pediatric CMPA, with a specific focus on the molecular mechanisms of action. Most studies included in this review have shown a beneficial effect of probiotics in CMPA patients, especially in terms of achieving tolerance and improving symptoms.

A Review on Maternal and Infant Microbiota and Their Implications for the Prevention and Treatment of Allergic Diseases

Allergic diseases, which are closely related to the composition and metabolism of maternal and infant flora, are prevalent in infants worldwide. The mother's breast milk, intestinal, and vaginal flora directly or indirectly influence the development of the infant's immune system from pregnancy to lactation, and the compositional and functional alterations of maternal flora are associated with allergic diseases in infants. Meanwhile, the infant's own flora, represented by the intestinal flora, indicates and regulates the occurrence of allergic diseases and is altered with the intervention of allergic diseases. By searching and selecting relevant literature in PubMed from 2010 to 2023, the mechanisms of allergy development in infants and the links between maternal and infant flora and infant allergic diseases are reviewed, including the effects of flora composition and its consequences on infant metabolism. The critical role of maternal and infant flora in allergic diseases has provided a window for probiotics as a microbial therapy. Therefore, the uses and mechanisms by which probiotics, such as lactic acid bacteria, can help to improve the homeostasis of both the mother and the infant, and thereby treat allergies, are also described.

The Bioavailability of Glycyrrhizinic Acid Was Enhanced by Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 Supplementation in Liver Fibrosis Rats

Glycyrrhizinic acid (GL) is clinically applied to treat liver injury, and the bioavailability of orally administered GL is closely related to the gut microbiota. Therefore, the dysbiosis of gut flora in liver injury could significantly influence GL bioavailability. Still, less is known about the impact of probiotic supplementation on the bio-absorption process of oral medication, especially under a pathological state. Herein, probiotic L. rhamnosus R0011 (R0011) with a high viability in the harsh gastrointestinal environment was selected, and the effect of R0011 on the GL bioavailability in rats was investigated. Four groups of rats (n = 6 per group) were included: the normal group (N group), the normal group supplemented with R0011 (NLGG group), CCl4-induced chronic liver injury model (M group), and the model group supplemented with R0011 (MLGG group). Our results showed that liver injury was successfully induced in the M and MLGG groups via an intraperitoneal injection of 50% (v/v) CCl4 solution. Healthy rats supplemented with R0011 could increase the bioavailability of GL by 1.4-fold compared with the normal group by plasma pharmacokinetic analysis. Moreover, the GL bioavailability of MLGG group was significantly increased by 4.5-fold compared with the model group. R0011 directly improved gut microbial glucuronidase and downregulated the host intestinal drug transporter gene expression of multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2). More critically, R0011 restored the gut microbiota composition and regulated the metabolic function, significantly enhancing the microbial tryptophan metabolic pathway compared with the pathological state, which may indirectly promote the bioavailability of GL. Overall, these data may provide possible strategies by which to address the low bioavailability of traditional medicine through probiotic intervention.

The potential role of preventive and therapeutic immunonutrition strategies for pediatric food allergy: A mini-review

Food allergy (FA) represents one of the main chronic conditions of the pediatric population. The gut microbiome (GM)-immune system axis is a milestone in affecting FA susceptibility. The dynamic and bidirectional crosstalk between the GM and immune system starts early in life, and it is deeply modulated during the first 1,000 days of life. Nutritional factors during this crucial period mainly influence the proper GM-immune system development and function across the lifespan, with potential beneficial or detrimental effects on health status. Immunonutrition strategies, applied from conception, could represent an innovative target for prevention and treatment of pediatric FA. Here we described the potential role of preventive and therapeutic immunonutrition strategies for pediatric FA, highlighting putative future perspectives in this field.

Gut microbiota: A target for prebiotics and probiotics in the intervention and therapy of food allergy

Food allergy has become a major public health problem all over the world. Evidence showed that allergic reactions induced by food proteins often lead to disturbances in the gut microbiota (symbiotic bacteria). Gut microbiota plays an important role in maintaining the balance between intestinal immune tolerance and allergic reactions. Dietary intervention has gradually become an important method for the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases, and changing the composition of gut microbiota through oral intake of prebiotics and probiotics may serve as a new effective adjuvant treatment measure for allergic diseases. In this paper, the main mechanism of food allergy based on intestinal immunity was described firstly. Then, the clinical and experimental evidence showed that different prebiotics and probiotics affect food allergy by changing the structure and composition of gut microbiota was summarized. Moreover, the molecular mechanism in which the gut microbiota and their metabolites may directly or indirectly regulate the immune system or intestinal epithelial barrier function to affect food immune tolerance of host were also reviewed to help in the development of food allergy prevention and treatment strategies based on prebiotics and probiotics.

Postnatal probiotic supplementation can prevent and optimize treatment of childhood asthma and atopic disorders: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Background

Although several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published over the past 5 years show that prenatal or postnatal probiotics may prevent or optimize the treatment of childhood asthma and atopic disorders, findings from the systematic reviews and meta-analyses of these studies appear inconsistent. More recent RCTs have focused on postnatal probiotics, and linked specific probiotic strains to better disease outcomes.

Objective

This systematic review aimed to determine if postnatal probiotics are as effective as prenatal probiotics in preventing or treating childhood asthma and atopic disorders.

Methods

We searched the PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and EMBASE databases for RCTs published within the past 5 years (from 2017 to 2022). We included only full-text RCTs on human subjects published in or translated into the English language. We retrieved relevant data items with a preconceived data-extraction form and assessed the methodological quality of the selected RCTs using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized trials. We qualitatively synthesized the retrieved data to determine any significant differences in study endpoints of the probiotic and placebo groups.

Results

A total of 1,320 participants (688 and 632 in the probiotic and placebo groups) from six RCTs were investigated. One RCT showed that early Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) led to a reduction in the cumulative incidence rate of asthma. Another study demonstrated that mixed strains of Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus fermentum could support clinical improvement in children with asthma while one trial reported a significant reduction in the frequency of asthma exacerbations using a mixture of Ligilactobacillus salivarius and Bifidobacterium breve. Three trials showed that a combination of LGG and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus alone, and a probiotic mixture of Lactobacillus ŁOCK strains improved clinical outcomes in children with atopic dermatitis and cow-milk protein allergy.

Conclusions

Postnatal strain-specific probiotics (in single or mixed forms) are beneficial in preventing and treating atopic dermatitis and other allergies. Similarly, specific strains are more effective in preventing asthma or improving asthma outcomes. We recommend more interventional studies to establish the most useful probiotic strain in these allergic diseases.

The modulation and mechanism of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules on the immune response in allergic diseases

Allergic diseases, derived from the dysregulation of immune tolerance mechanisms, have been rising in the last two decades. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules exhibit a protective effect against allergic diseases, involving regulation of Th1/Th2 balance, induction of differentiation of T regulatory cells and activation of dendritic cells (DCs). DCs have a central role in controlling the immune response through their interaction with gut microbiota via their pattern recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptors and C-type-lectin receptors. This review discusses the effects and critical mechanism of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules in regulating the immune system to alleviate allergic diseases. We first describe the development of immune response in allergic diseases and recent relevant findings. Particular emphasis is placed on the effects of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules on allergic immune response. Then, we discuss the underlying mechanism of the impact of probiotic-derived polysaccharide capsules on DCs-mediated immune tolerance induction.

Preventive Effect and Molecular Mechanism of Lactobacillus rhamnosus JL1 on Food-Borne Obesity in Mice

Probiotics can prevent obesity and related metabolic complications. In our study, the protective effect and molecular mechanism of Lactobacillus rhamnosus JL1 (separated from the feces of healthy infants) on high-fat diet mice were investigated. After 10 weeks of dietary intervention with L. rhamnosus JL1 intervention, the body weight of the JL1 group (23.78 g) was significantly lower than that of the HFD group (26.59 g, p < 0.05) and the liver index was reduced. Serum biochemical analysis showed that the TC, TG and LDL-C contents of JL1 group mice were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Histological images of the mice livers showed that the degree of lipid action and damage of hepatic cells were improved. L. rhamnosus JL1 activated the AMPK pathway, and reduced the gene expression of PPAR-γ, LXR-α and SREBP-1C. In addition, the protein expression of PPAR-γ and LXR-α were reduced. After dietary intervention with L. rhamnosus JL1, the concentration of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid were increased significantly, especially the concentration of butyric acid, which was 63.16% higher than that of the HFD group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study provided a theoretical reference for the development and application of probiotics derived from healthy infant feces in health products and functional foods.

Potential Biomarkers, Risk Factors and their Associations with IgE-mediated Food Allergy in Early Life: A Narrative Review

Food allergy affects the quality of life of millions of people worldwide and presents a significant psychological and financial burden for both national and international public health. In the past few decades, the prevalence of allergic disease has been on the rise worldwide. Identified risk factors for food allergy include family history, mode of delivery, variations in infant feeding practices, prior diagnosis of other atopic diseases such as eczema, and social economic status. Identifying reliable biomarkers which predict the risk of developing food allergy in early life would be valuable in both preventing morbidity and mortality and by making current interventions available at the earliest opportunity. There is also the potential to identify new therapeutic targets. This narrative review provides details on the genetic, epigenetic, dietary and microbiome influences upon the development of food allergy and synthesizes the currently available data indicating potential biomarkers. While there is a large body of research evidence available within each field of potential risk factors, there are very limited number of studies which span multiple methodological fields, for example including immunology, microbiome, genetic/epigenetic factors and dietary assessment. We recommend that further collaborative research with detailed cohort phenotyping is required to identify biomarkers, and whether these vary between at-risk populations and the wider population. The low incidence of oral food challenge confirmed food allergy in the general population, and the complexities of designing nutritional intervention studies will provide challenges for researchers to address in generating high quality, reliable and reproducible research findings.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Food allergy affects the quality of life of millions of people worldwide and presents a significant psychological and financial burden for both national and international public health. Identifying reliable biomarkers which predict the risk of developing food allergy would be valuable in both preventing morbidity and mortality and by making current interventions available at the earliest opportunity. This review provides details on the genetic, epigenetic, dietary and microbiome influences upon the development of food allergy. This helps in identifying reliable biomarkers to predict the risk of developing food allergy, which could be valuable in both preventing morbidity and mortality and by making interventions available at the earliest opportunity.

What influences complementary medicine use for children with eosinophilic esophagitis? Findings from a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Utilization of complementary medicines (CMs) amongst children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in Australia is high. Carers' beliefs, perceptions and use of CM can influence the decision to use CM in children in their care. This study explores the factors influencing the use of CM for a child's EoE when the carer also uses CM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Carers of children aged 0-18 years with EoE participated in a national cross-sectional online survey, conducted in Australia between September 2018 and February 2019. Data analysis included bivariate analysis, Cramer's V, backwards stepwise logistic regression and binomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of the 181 total survey responses, 165 (91.2 %) respondents indicated they had utilized some form of CM for themselves. Children whose carer had used some form of CM for themselves were more likely to have used CM than children whose carer had not used CM (OR 4.6; p = 0.001). Of the CM self-using carers, 125 (75.8 %) had also chosen to utilize CM for their child's EoE. Use of CM in children was more likely amongst children who had used a pharmaceutical for their EoE (OR 7.51; p = 0.010), and those whose carer had consulted with "other health practitioners or health workers" for their child's EoE (OR 5.34; p < 0.001) or had consulted with a chiropractor for themselves (OR 2.70; p = 0.029).

CONCLUSION

High CM self-use amongst carers is associated with their decision to also use CM for their child's EoE, a concern given the absence of evidence for CM's safety and efficacy in this population. CM use in this population warrants further attention. Effective conventional medicines for EoE are limited and utilization of CM amongst children with EoE in Australia is high. The recommendation of CM for children with EoE warrants further attention given the substantial concomitant pharmaceutical care, and the absence of evidence for CM's safety and efficacy in this population. Further research into the role of CM practitioners, products, and therapies in an integrative model between CM and conventional healthcare must be undertaken.

Immunonutrition for Pediatric Patients With Cow's Milk Allergy: How Early Interventions Could Impact Long-Term Outcomes

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies and one of the main causes of food-induced anaphylaxis in the pediatric age. Moreover, up to 45% of CMA children develop other atopic manifestations later in life, a phenomenon commonly named atopic march. Thus, CMA imposes a significant cost to health care systems as well as to families, and has emerged as one of the most expensive allergic diseases. The immunonutrition strategy builds its foundation on the ability of selected dietary factors to modulate immune system development and function. Recent studies highlighted the potential of immunonutrition in the management of CMA. This review is focused on the mechanisms and long-term clinical outcomes of the immunonutrition approach in children with CMA.

Probiotics for the Management of Sepsis: Advances in Animal Models and Intensive Care Unit Environments

Sepsis frequently leads to multiple organ failure and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Although intensive care protocols and antibiotic therapy have improved sepsis treatment, specific management is lacking with respect to efficient protection from tissue damage and long-term outcomes. Probiotics are live microbes that modulate the immune system and inflammation and colonize the gut. In this narrative review, we have traced the evolution of the administration of probiotics in an animal model of sepsis and treatment alternatives in the intensive care unit setting. First, probiotics are categorized by species before describing their modulation of the microbiota, repair of tissue-specific damage, immune response, and molecular pathways to prevent complications. The impact on therapy for infant and adult patients is also addressed. Finally, we have emphasized the challenges and gaps in current studies as well as future perspectives for further investigation. The present review can open up avenues for new strategies that employ promising probiotic strains for the treatment of sepsis and discusses their ability to prevent disease-associated long-term complications.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus JYLR-005 Prevents Thiram-Induced Tibial Dyschondroplasia by Enhancing Bone-Related Growth Performance in Chickens

Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a leg disorder caused by the abnormal development of the tibia in fast-growing poultry. Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) strains have been reported to have effects on increasing bone growth and improving osteoporosis in animals. However, whether L. rhamnosus JYLR-005 can improve bone growth in TD chickens remains unclear. In this study, we noted that L. rhamnosus JYLR-005 could not reduce the suppression of the production performance of TD broilers (p > 0.05) but had a slight protective effect on the broiler survival rate (χ² = 5.571, p = 0.062). However, for thiram-induced TD broiler chickens, L. rhamnosus JYLR-005 could promote tibia growth by increasing tibia-related parameters, including the tibia weight (day 11, p = 0.040), tibia length (day 15, p = 0.013), and tibia mean diameter (day 15, p = 0.035). Moreover, L. rhamnosus JYLR-005 supplementation improved the normal growth and development of the tibial growth plate by maintaining the morphological structure of the chondrocytes and restored the balance of calcium and phosphorus. Taken together, these findings provide a proof of principle that L. rhamnosus JYLR-005 may represent a therapeutic strategy to treat leg disease in chickens.

Generation of Lactose- and Protease-Positive Probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG by Conjugation with Lactococcus lactis NCDO 712

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is the most studied probiotic bacterium in the world. It is used as a probiotic supplement in many foods, including various dairy products. However, LGG grows poorly in milk, as it neither metabolizes the main milk carbohydrate lactose nor degrades the major milk protein casein effectively. In this study, we made L. rhamnosus GG lactose and protease positive by conjugation with the dairy Lactococcus lactis strain NCDO 712 carrying the lactose-protease plasmid pLP712. A lactose-hydrolyzing transconjugant colony was obtained on agar containing lactose as the sole source of carbohydrates. By microscopic analysis and PCR with LGG- and pLP712-specific primers, the transconjugant was confirmed to have originated from LGG and to carry the plasmid pLP712. The transconjugant was named L. rhamnosus LAB49. The isolation of plasmids revealed that not only pLP712 but also other plasmids had been transferred from L. lactis into LGG during conjugation. With plasmid-specific PCR primers, four additional lactococcal plasmids were detected in LAB49. Proteolytic activity assay and SDS-PAGE analysis verified that L. rhamnosus LAB49 effectively degraded β-casein. In contrast to its parental strain, LGG, the ability of LAB49 to metabolize lactose and degrade casein enabled strong and fast growth in milk. As strains with new properties made by conjugation are not regarded as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), L. rhamnosus LAB49 could be beneficial in dairy fermentations as a probiotic starter culture.IMPORTANCE Probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is widely sold on the market as a probiotic or added as a supplement in dairy foods because of its benefits in human health. However, due to the deficiency of lactose and casein utilization, LGG does not grow well in milk. On the other hand, lactose intolerance and cow's milk protein allergy are the two major problems related to milk consumption. One option to help with these two conditions is the use of probiotic or lactose- and casein-hydrolyzing bacteria in dairy products. The purpose of this study was to equip LGG with lactose/casein-hydrolyzing ability by bacterial conjugation. As a result, we generated a non-GMO LGG derivative with improved properties and better growth in milk.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG for Cow's Milk Allergy in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is a common allergic disease. Probiotics have been suggested as a treatment for CMA, with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) being one of the important predominant choices. Despite reports on this topic, the effectiveness of application in CMA remains to be firmly established. Methods: To assess the effects of LGG on CMA in children, the PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for studies on LGG in treatment of CMA, which were published in the English language. Results: Ten studies were finally included. Significantly higher tolerability rates favoring LGG over controls were observed [risk ratio (RR), 2.22; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.86-2.66; I ² = 0.00; moderate-quality evidence]. There were no significant differences in SCORAD values favoring LGG over the placebo (mean difference, 1.41; 95% CI, -4.99-7.82; p = 0.67; very low-quality evidence), and LGG may have improved fecal occult blood (risk ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14-0.92; p = 0.03; low-quality evidence). Conclusion: We found that LGG may have moderate-quality evidence to promote oral tolerance in children with CMA and may facilitate recovery from intestinal symptoms. However, this finding must be treated with caution, and more gpowerful RCTs are needed to evaluate the most effective dose and treatment time for children with CMA. Registration number: CRD42021237221.

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

Allergy can cause intestinal damage, including through cell apoptosis. In this study, intestinal cell apoptosis was first observed in the β-conglycinin (β-CG) allergy model, and the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on reducing apoptosis of cells in the intestine and its underlying mechanisms were further investigated. Allergic mice received oral LGG daily, and intestinal tissue apoptotic cells, gut microbiota, and metabolites were evaluated six and nine days after intervention. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) analysis revealed that LGG intervention could reduce the incidence of cell apoptosis more effectively than natural recovery (NR). The results of 16S rRNA analysis indicated that LGG intervention led to an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroides. Metabolite analysis of intestinal contents indicated that histamine, N-acetylhistamine, N(α)-γ-glutamylhistamine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, arachidonic acid malate, and xanthine were significantly decreased, and deoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid were significantly increased after the LGG intervention on β-CG allergy; the decreases in histamine and N(α)-γ-glutamylhistamine were significant compared with those of NR. In conclusion, LGG reduces apoptosis of cells induced by β-CG allergy, which may be related to regulation of Bacteroides and the bile secretion pathway.