Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM-17938 for preventing cough in adults with mild allergic asthma: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled cross-over study

Can probiotics be used in the prevention and treatment of bronchial asthma?

Asthma is a lifelong condition with varying degrees of severity and susceptibility to symptom control. Recent studies have examined the effects of individual genus, species, and strains of probiotic microorganisms on the course of asthma. The present review aims to provide an overview of current knowledge on the use of probiotic microorganisms, mainly bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, in asthma prevention and treatment. Recent data from clinical trials and mouse models of allergic asthma indicate that probiotics have therapeutic potential in this condition. Animal studies indicate that probiotic microorganisms demonstrate anti-inflammatory activity, attenuate airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and reduce airway mucus secretion. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials found that combining multi-strain probiotics with prebiotics yielded promising outcomes in the treatment of clinical manifestations of asthma. It appears that probiotic supplementation is safe and significantly reduces the frequency of asthma exacerbations, as well as improved forced expiratory volume and peak expiratory flow parameters, and greater attenuation of inflammation. Due to the small number of available clinical trials, and the use of a wide range of probiotic microorganisms and assessment methods, it is not possible to draw clear conclusions regarding the use of probiotics as asthma treatments.

MAMI: a comprehensive database of mother-infant microbiome and probiotic resources

Extensive evidence has demonstrated that the human microbiome and probiotics confer great impacts on human health, particularly during critical developmental stages such as pregnancy and infancy when microbial communities undergo remarkable changes and maturation. However, a major challenge in understanding the microbial community structure and interactions between mothers and infants lies in the current lack of comprehensive microbiome databases specifically focused on maternal and infant health. To address this gap, we have developed an extensive database called MAMI (Microbiome Atlas of Mothers and Infants) that archives data on the maternal and neonatal microbiome, as well as abundant resources on edible probiotic strains. By leveraging this resource, we can gain profound insights into the dynamics of microbial communities, contributing to lifelong wellness for both mothers and infants through precise modulation of the developing microbiota. The functionalities incorporated into MAMI provide a unique perspective on the study of the mother-infant microbiome, which not only advance microbiome-based scientific research but also enhance clinical practice. MAMI is publicly available at https://bioinfo.biols.ac.cn/mami/.

Opioid trail: Tracking contributions to opioid use disorder from host genetics to the gut microbiome

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a worldwide public health crisis with few effective treatment options. Traditional genetics and neuroscience approaches have provided knowledge about biological mechanisms that contribute to OUD-related phenotypes, but the complexity and magnitude of effects in the brain and body remain poorly understood. The gut-brain axis has emerged as a promising target for future therapeutics for several psychiatric conditions, so characterizing the relationship between host genetics and the gut microbiome in the context of OUD will be essential for development of novel treatments. In this review, we describe evidence that interactions between host genetics, the gut microbiome, and immune signaling likely play a key role in mediating opioid-related phenotypes. Studies in humans and model organisms consistently demonstrated that genetic background is a major determinant of gut microbiome composition. Furthermore, the gut microbiome is susceptible to environmental influences such as opioid exposure. Additional work focused on gene by microbiome interactions will be necessary to gain improved understanding of their effects on OUD-related behaviors.

Effect of dietary interventions on markers of type 2 inflammation in asthma: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Type 2 (T2) inflammation is a key mechanism in the pathophysiology of asthma. Diet may have immunomodulatory effects, and a role for diet in T2 inflammation has been suggested in the literature. Indeed, diet and food allergies play a role in children with atopic asthma, but less is known about diet in relation to adult asthma, which is often non-atopic.

OBJECTIVE

To review the effect of dietary interventions on markers of T2 inflammation in adults with asthma.

METHODS

The databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were searched for eligible studies until December 2022. We included studies of all types of foods, nutrients, diets or supplements, either as an exposure or as an intervention, in adults and adolescents with asthma. Outcomes of interest included the T2 biomarkers FeNO, eosinophils, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, eosinophil cationic protein and eosinophil peroxidase. The methodological quality of eligible studies was systematically evaluated, and the results were summarised according to dietary clusters.

RESULTS

The systematic search identified studies on the dietary clusters antioxidants (n = 14), fatty acids, (n = 14), Mediterranean-style diets (n = 5), phytotherapy (n = 7), prebiotics & probiotics (n = 8), vitamin D (n = 7), and other dietary factors (n = 5). Studies within the phytotherapy and omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) clusters showed possible improvements in T2 inflammation. Furthermore, we found little evidence for an effect of antioxidants, prebiotics & probiotics, and Mediterranean-style diets on T2 inflammation. However, heterogeneity in study protocols, methodological shortcomings and limited power of almost all studies make it difficult to fully determine the impact of different dietary approaches on T2 inflammation in asthma.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the current evidence does not support a specific dietary intervention to improve T2 inflammation in asthma. Interventions involving phytotherapy and omega-3 PUFA currently have the best evidence and warrant further evaluation in well-designed and adequately powered studies, while taking into account T2-high phenotypes of asthma.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri in immunomodulation: molecular mechanisms and potential applications

Frequent use of hormones and drugs may be associated with side-effects. Recent studies have shown that probiotics have effects on the prevention and treatment of immune-related diseases. Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) had regulatory effects on intestinal microbiota, host epithelial cells, immune cells, cytokines, antibodies (Ab), toll-like receptors (TLRs), tryptophan (Try) metabolism, antioxidant enzymes, and expression of related genes, and exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, leading to alleviation of disease symptoms. Although the specific composition of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of L. reuteri has not been clarified, its efficacy in animal models has drawn increased attention to its potential use. This review summarizes the effects of L. reuteri on intestinal flora and immune regulation, and discusses the feasibility of its application in atopic dermatitis (AD), asthma, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and multiple sclerosis (MS), and provides insights for the prevention and treatment of immune-related diseases.