Effects of probiotic supplementation for the first 6 months of life on allergen- and vaccine-specific immune responses.
BACKGROUND
A reduction in microbial burden during infancy when allergen-specific memory is evolving has become a prominent explanation for the allergy epidemic.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine whether probiotic dietary supplementation in the first 6 months of life could modify allergen- and vaccine-specific immune responses.


METHODS
Two hundred and thirty-one pregnant women with a history of allergic disease and positive allergen skin prick test (SPT) were recruited into a randomized-controlled trial. The infants received either a probiotic (3 x 10(9)Lactobacillus acidophilus LAVRI-A1; Probiomics) or placebo (maltodextrin alone) daily for the first 6 months of life, given independent of feeding methods. One hundred and seventy-eight children completed the study; blood samples were available from 60 children in the placebo group and 58 children in the probiotic group. Infant cytokine (IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, TNF-alpha or TGF-beta) responses to tetanus toxoid (TT), house dust mite (HDM), ovalbumin (OVA), beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) and phytohaemaglutinin (PHA) were measured at 6 months of age.


RESULTS
Children who received the probiotics showed reduced production of IL-5 and TGF-beta in response to polyclonal (SEB) stimulation (P=0.044 and 0.015, respectively). They also demonstrated significantly lower IL-10 responses to TT vaccine antigen compared with the placebo group (P=0.03), and this was not due to any differences in vaccination. However, there were no significant effects of probiotics on either Type 1 (Th1) or Type 2 (Th2) T helper cell responses to allergens or other stimuli. The only other effects observed were for reduced TNF-alpha and IL-10 responsiveness to HDM allergens in children receiving probiotics (P=0.046 and 0.014, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In summary, although we did not see any consistent effects on allergen-specific responses, our study suggests that probiotics may have immunomodulatory effects on vaccine responses. The significance and clinical relevance of this need to be determined in further studies.
Taylor
A L
AL
School of Paediatrics and Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
Hale
J
J
Wiltschut
J
J
Lehmann
H
H
Dunstan
J A
JA
Prescott
S L
SL
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000276:immunology; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000494:pharmacology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D004768:Enterotoxins; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007782:Lactoglobulins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014612:Vaccines; C047876:phytohemagglutinin-M; D016753:Interleukin-10; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D010047:Ovalbumin