Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) has been hypothesised to be associated with gut microbiota (GM) composition. We performed a comparative study of the GM profile of 19 AD children and 18 healthy individuals aimed at identifying bacterial biomarkers associated with the disease. The effect of probiotic intake (Bifidobacterium breve plus Lactobacillus salivarius) on the modulation of GM and the probiotic persistence in the GM were also evaluated. Faecal samples were analysed by real-time PCR and 16S rRNA targeted metagenomics. Although the probiotics, chosen for this study, did not shape the entire GM profile, we observed the ability of these species to pass through the gastrointestinal tract and to persist (only B. breve) in the GM. Moreover, the GM of patients compared to CTRLs showed a dysbiotic status characterised by an increase of Faecalibacterium, Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Parabacteroides and Sutterella and a reduction of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria (i.e., Bifidobacterium, Blautia, Coprococcus, Eubacterium and Propionibacterium). Taken togheter these results show an alteration in AD microbiota composition with the depletion or absence of some species, opening the way to future probiotic intervention studies.
Highlights
In the last decades, an increase in allergic diseases has been observed worldwide, especially in westernised countries[1]
The effect of the intake of probiotics composed by Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus salivarius was evaluated with respect to gut microbiota (GM) modulation over time to assess the persistence of the probiotic bacteria by quantitative Real-Time PCR
GM dysbiosis has been shown to precede the onset of AD25
Summary
An increase in allergic diseases has been observed worldwide, especially in westernised countries[1]. According to the hygiene hypothesis, the effects of modern public health practices, which lower the stimulation of the immune system by microbes, make infants more likely to develop allergic diseases[3,4]. As an extension of the hygiene hypothesis, the “microflora hypothesis of allergic disease” was proposed to underline the role of the gut microbiota (GM) in shaping the development of the host immune system in early life[5]. Th2 cell-derived mediators, such as IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, induce immunoglobulin class switching to IgE, sustaining the allergy response. Modulation of this response through T-cell deviation to Th2 or enhancement of regulatory T-cells (Treg) is a new therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of AD through probiotic administration[10]. The effect of the intake of probiotics composed by Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus salivarius was evaluated with respect to GM modulation over time to assess the persistence of the probiotic bacteria by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR)
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