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Zhang G, Le Souëf P. The influence of modern living conditions on the human microbiome and potential therapeutic opportunities for allergy prevention. World Allergy Organ J 2024; 17:100857. [PMID: 38235259 PMCID: PMC10793171 DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.2023.100857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Modern living conditions and the recent surge in global urbanization have transformed the human microbiome. This transformation is believed to be a significant factor in the recent spike of common chronic inflammatory diseases like asthma and allergies worldwide, evident in both developed and developing nations. Immigrants from less developed regions who settle in highly urbanized and affluent areas present an ideal demographic for research. Investigating immigrant populations can yield valuable insights, particularly when studying microbiome changes that occur as individuals transition from areas with low asthma prevalence to regions with a high prevalence of the condition. The application of prebiotics and probiotics as potential treatments for asthma and allergies faces challenges. This is due to the complex interplay of numerous factors that contribute to their aetiology. Exploring the interaction between the human microbiome and potential epigenetic changes in specific populations, such as immigrants adapting to new, urbanized environments, may offer crucial insights. Such research could underscore the role of prebiotics and probiotics in preventing allergic conditions. Recognizing the changes in the human microbiome in the context of a Western/modern environment might be essential in addressing the increasing prevalence of allergic diseases. Persistent research in this domain is pivotal for devising effective interventions such as dietary supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guicheng Zhang
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, 6102, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6008, Australia
| | - Peter Le Souëf
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, 6102, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6008, Australia
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Haahtela T, Alenius H, Auvinen P, Fyhrquist N, von Hertzen L, Jousilahti P, Karisola P, Laatikainen T, Lehtimäki J, Paalanen L, Ruokolainen L, Saarinen K, Valovirta E, Vasankari T, Vlasoff T, Erhola M, Bousquet J, Vartiainen E, Mäkelä MJ. A short history from Karelia study to biodiversity and public health interventions. FRONTIERS IN ALLERGY 2023; 4:1152927. [PMID: 36998574 PMCID: PMC10043497 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2023.1152927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Contact with natural environments enriches the human microbiome, promotes immune balance and protects against allergies and inflammatory disorders. In Finland, the allergy & asthma epidemic became slowly visible in mid 1960s. After the World War II, Karelia was split into Finnish and Soviet Union (now Russia) territories. This led to more marked environmental and lifestyle changes in the Finnish compared with Russian Karelia. The Karelia Allergy Study 2002–2022 showed that allergic conditions were much more common on the Finnish side. The Russians had richer gene-microbe network and interaction than the Finns, which associated with better balanced immune regulatory circuits and lower allergy prevalence. In the Finnish adolescents, a biodiverse natural environment around the homes associated with lower occurrence of allergies. Overall, the plausible explanation of the allergy disparity was the prominent change in environment and lifestyle in the Finnish Karelia from 1940s to 1980s. The nationwide Finnish Allergy Programme 2008–2018 implemented the biodiversity hypothesis into practice by endorsing immune tolerance, nature contacts, and allergy health with favorable results. A regional health and environment programme, Nature Step to Health 2022–2032, has been initiated in the City of Lahti, EU Green Capital 2021. The programme integrates prevention of chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, obesity, depression), nature loss, and climate crisis in the spirit of Planetary Health. Allergic diseases exemplify inappropriate immunological responses to natural environment. Successful management of the epidemics of allergy and other non-communicable diseases may pave the way to improve human and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tari Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Correspondence: Tari Haahtela
| | - Harri Alenius
- Human Microbiome Research (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Petri Auvinen
- DNA Sequencing and GenomicsLaboratory, Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nanna Fyhrquist
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Pekka Jousilahti
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Piia Karisola
- Human Microbiome Research (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Laatikainen
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Laura Paalanen
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lasse Ruokolainen
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Erkka Valovirta
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Clinical Allergology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Allergy Clinic, Terveystalo, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuula Vasankari
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Clinical Allergology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Finnish Lung Health Association (FILHA), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Vlasoff
- North Karelia Centre for Public Health, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Marina Erhola
- Pirkanmaa Joint Authority for Health Services and Social Welfare, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jean Bousquet
- Institute of Allergology, Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Allergology and Immunology, Berlin, Germany
- University Hospital Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Erkki Vartiainen
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mika J. Mäkelä
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Khoo SK, Mäkelä M, Chandler D, Schultz EN, Jamieson SE, Goldblatt J, Haahtela T, LeSouëf P, Zhang G. No simple answers for the Finnish and Russian Karelia allergy contrast: Methylation of CD14 gene. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2016; 27:721-727. [PMID: 27434019 DOI: 10.1111/pai.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Finnish and Russian Karelian children have a highly contrasting occurrence of asthma and allergy. In these two environments, we studied associations between total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) with methylation levels in cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14). METHODS Five hundred Finnish and Russian Karelian children were included in four groups: Finnish children with high IgE (n = 126) and low IgE (n = 124) as well as Russian children with high IgE (n = 125) and low IgE (n = 125). DNA was extracted from whole blood cells and pyrosequenced. Three CpG sites were selected in the promoter region of CD14. RESULTS Methylation levels in two of the three CpG sites were higher in the Finnish compared to Russian Karelian children. In the promoter area of CD14, the Finnish compared to Russian children with low IgE had a significant (p < 0.0001) increase in methylation levels at the Amp5Site 2. Likewise, the Finnish compared to Russian children with high IgE had a significant (p = 0.003) increase in methylation levels at the Amp5Site 3. In Russian children with low vs. high IgE, there were significant differences in methylation levels, but this was not the case on the Finnish side. In the regression analysis, adding the methylation variation of CD14 to the model did not explain the higher asthma and allergy risk in the Finnish children. CONCLUSIONS The methylation levels in the promoter region of CD14 gene were higher in the Finnish compared to Russian Karelian children. However, the methylation variation of this candidate gene did not explain the asthma and allergy contrast between these two areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siew-Kim Khoo
- School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Mika Mäkelä
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - David Chandler
- Australian Genome Research Facility Ltd, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - En Nee Schultz
- School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Sarra E Jamieson
- Telethon Kids Institute, Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Jack Goldblatt
- Genetic Services & Familial Cancer Program of Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Tari Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Peter LeSouëf
- School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Guicheng Zhang
- School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia. .,Telethon Kids Institute, Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia. .,School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia. .,Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease, Curtin University and the University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
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Djuardi Y, Supali T, Wibowo H, Heijmans BT, Deelen J, Slagboom EP, Houwing-Duistermaat JJ, Sartono E, Yazdanbakhsh M. Maternal and child cytokine relationship in early life is not altered by cytokine gene polymorphisms. Genes Immun 2016; 17:380-385. [PMID: 27581100 PMCID: PMC5223084 DOI: 10.1038/gene.2016.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The development of immune responses is influenced by the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Our previous study showed a close association between maternal and young infant's cytokine responses. The question is how this association evolves over time and the contribution of genetic polymorphisms to this association. Five cytokines in mitogen-stimulated whole blood culture were measured from pregnant mothers and their children aged 2, 5, 12, 24 and 48 months. Cytokine gene polymorphisms were determined in both mothers and children. High production of maternal interleukin (IL)-10, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) was significantly associated with higher levels of the corresponding cytokines in their children at 2 months (T2), but the association decreased over time. Maternal single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in IFN-γ gene, rs3181032, was found to be associated with child's IFN-γ levels at T2 only, whereas maternal IL-10 rs4579758 and child's TNF-α rs13215091 were associated with child's corresponding cytokines at later ages but not at T2. In the final models including the gene polymorphisms, maternal cytokines were still the strongest determinant of child cytokines. Maternal cytokine during pregnancy, which could be a proxy for child's environmental factors, showed its highest impact at early age, with no or little influence from genetic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Djuardi
- Department of Parasitology, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.,Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - T Supali
- Department of Parasitology, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - H Wibowo
- Department of Parasitology, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - B T Heijmans
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - J Deelen
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - E P Slagboom
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - J J Houwing-Duistermaat
- Medical Statistics, Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - E Sartono
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M Yazdanbakhsh
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Wang T, Zhang HP, Zhang X, Liang ZA, Ji YL, Wang G. Is Folate Status a Risk Factor for Asthma or Other Allergic Diseases? ALLERGY, ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH 2015; 7:538-46. [PMID: 26333700 PMCID: PMC4605926 DOI: 10.4168/aair.2015.7.6.538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 05/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE It is controversial whether folate status is a risk factor for the development of asthma or other allergic diseases. This study was conducted to investigate whether indirect or direct exposure to folate and impaired folate metabolism, reflected as methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism, would contribute to the development of asthma and other allergic diseases. METHODS Electronic databases were searched to identify all studies assessing the association between folate status and asthma or other allergic diseases. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of studies and extracted data. The relative risk (RR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated and pooled. RESULTS Twenty-six studies (16 cohort, 7 case-control, and 3 cross-sectional studies) were identified. Maternal folic acid supplementation was not associated with the development of asthma, atopic dermatitis (AD), eczema, and sensitization in the offspring, whereas exposure during early pregnancy was related to wheeze occurrence in the offspring (RR=1.06, 95% CI=[1.02-1.09]). The TT genotype of MTHFR C677T polymorphism was at high risk of asthma (OR=1.41, 95% CI=[1.07-1.86]). CONCLUSIONS It is indicated that maternal folic acid supplementation during early pregnancy may increase the risk of wheeze in early childhood and that the TT genotype of MTHFR C677T polymorphism impairing folic acid metabolism would be at high risk of asthma development. These results might provide additional information for recommendations regarding forced folate consumption or folic acid supplements during pregnancy based on its well-established benefits for the prevention of congenital malformations. However, currently available evidence is of low quality which is needed to further elucidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Hong Ping Zhang
- Pneumology Group, Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Pneumology Group, Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Zong An Liang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Yu Lin Ji
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Gang Wang
- Pneumology Group, Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China.
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Abstract
Over the past three decades, a large number of genetic studies have been aimed at finding genetic variants associated with the risk of asthma, applying various genetic and genomic approaches including linkage analysis, candidate gene polymorphism studies, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, contrary to general expectation, even single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) discovered by GWAS failed to fully explain the heritability of asthma. Thus, application of rare allele polymorphisms in well defined phenotypes and clarification of environmental factors have been suggested to overcome the problem of 'missing' heritability. Such factors include allergens, cigarette smoke, air pollutants, and infectious agents during pre- and post-natal periods. The first and simplest interaction between a gene and the environment is a candidate interaction of both a well known gene and environmental factor in a direct physical or chemical interaction such as between CD14 and endotoxin or between HLA and allergens. Several GWAS have found environmental interactions with occupational asthma, aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease, tobacco smoke-related airway dysfunction, and farm-related atopic diseases. As one of the mechanisms behind gene-environment interaction is epigenetics, a few studies on DNA CpG methylation have been reported on subphenotypes of asthma, pitching the exciting idea that it may be possible to intervene at the junction between the genome and the environment. Epigenetic studies are starting to include data from clinical samples, which will make them another powerful tool for re-search on gene-environment interactions in asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Uk Lee
- Department of Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Science Major, Soonchunhyang Graduate School, Bucheon, Korea
| | - Jeong Dong Kim
- Department of Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Science Major, Soonchunhyang Graduate School, Bucheon, Korea
| | - Choon-Sik Park
- Genome Research Center and Division of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea.
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Haahtela T, Laatikainen T, Alenius H, Auvinen P, Fyhrquist N, Hanski I, von Hertzen L, Jousilahti P, Kosunen TU, Markelova O, Mäkelä MJ, Pantelejev V, Uhanov M, Zilber E, Vartiainen E. Hunt for the origin of allergy - comparing the Finnish and Russian Karelia. Clin Exp Allergy 2015; 45:891-901. [DOI: 10.1111/cea.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T. Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital; Helsinki University Central Hospital; Helsinki Finland
| | - T. Laatikainen
- National Institute for Health and Welfare; Helsinki Finland
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition; University of Eastern Finland; Helsinki Finland
| | - H. Alenius
- Institute of Occupational Health; Helsinki Finland
| | - P. Auvinen
- Institute of Biotechnology; University of Helsinki; Helsinki Finland
| | - N. Fyhrquist
- Institute of Occupational Health; Helsinki Finland
| | - I. Hanski
- Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; Helsinki Finland
| | - L. von Hertzen
- Skin and Allergy Hospital; Helsinki University Central Hospital; Helsinki Finland
| | - P. Jousilahti
- National Institute for Health and Welfare; Helsinki Finland
| | - T. U. Kosunen
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology; Haartman Institute; University of Helsinki; Helsinki Finland
| | - O. Markelova
- Petrozavodsk State University; Petrozavodsk Russia
| | - M. J. Mäkelä
- Skin and Allergy Hospital; Helsinki University Central Hospital; Helsinki Finland
| | | | - M. Uhanov
- Parliament of the Republic of Karelia; Petrozavodsk Russia
| | - E. Zilber
- Scientific Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology; St. Petersburg Russia
| | - E. Vartiainen
- National Institute for Health and Welfare; Helsinki Finland
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Park CS. Role of murine asthma model in discovering asthma susceptible genes. ALLERGY, ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH 2014; 6:475-7. [PMID: 25374745 PMCID: PMC4214966 DOI: 10.4168/aair.2014.6.6.475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Choon-Sik Park
- Division of Allergy & Respiratory Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
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