Role of novel synbiotic supplementation on ovalbumin induced allergy model: Impact on immunemodulation

Abstract

This study aimed to determine effect of a novel synbiotic formulated from green gram on allergen induced immune response. BALB/c mice (F0 generation) were supplemented with saline, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) or synbiotic. The supplementation was continued throughout gestation and lactation. F1 generation pups also received respective supplementations as their mothers and were designated as postweaning probiotic and synbiotic groups. At the age of 60 days, OVA (allergen) sensitization was induced in F1 pups and various immune parameters were determined. As expected, OVA sensitized pups (F1 Ova+) developed chronic interstitial pneumonitis (CIP), with positive passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction, increased (p < 0.05) specific and total IgG and IgE concentration along with higher (p < 0.05) allergenic IL-5 value (283.6 ± 11.8 pg/ml). Synbiotic supplementation among the offspring showed better protection against allergy in the pups, as observed by absence of CIP, negative PCA reaction and reduced (p < 0.05) IL-5 concentration (37.8 ± 2.42 pg/ml) compared to F1 Ova+ group. Probiotic supplementation showed similar protection from allergy although, synbiotic scored better as immunemodulator. Synbiotic treatment improved T-regulatory cells percentage by 4-fold whereas probiotic supplementation improved it by 3-fold compared to control. Synbiotic group had enhanced production of IL-10, TGF-β (p < 0.05) by 11.6-fold and 4-fold respectively, while probiotic group registered 9-fold and 3.65-fold increase respectively. Similarly, allergen specific IgG and IgE concentration reduced by 1.9 and 1.7-folds with synbiotic and probiotic supplementations respectively. In conclusion, synbiotic group scored better in preventing ovalbumin induced allergy compared to probiotic group among offspring when supplemented prenatally and postweaning.