title: Probiotic supplementation influences faecal short chain fatty acids in infants at high risk for eczema.
abstract: The composition of the gut microbiota plays a role in the development of allergies. Based on the immunomodulating capacities of bacteria, various studies have investigated the potential role for probiotics in the prevention of childhood eczema. In a previous study we have shown that significantly less children developed eczema after probiotic supplementation (Bifidobacterium bifidum W23, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis W52 and Lactococcus lactis W58, Ecologic(®)Panda) at three months of age as compared to controls. Here, metabolites in faecal samples of these 3-month old children were measured by (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance to investigate possible gut metabolic alterations. Lower amounts of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), succinate, phenylalanine and alanine were found in faecal samples of children later developing eczema, whereas the amounts of glucose, galactose, lactate and lactose were higher compared to the children not developing eczema. Although these differences were already present at the age of 3 months, eczema did not develop in the majority of children before the age of 1 year. Supplementation of multispecies probiotics seems to induce higher levels of lactate and SCFAs, and lower levels of lactose and succinate when compared with the placebo group. This might explain the temporary preventive effect of probiotics on the development of eczema. These results highlight the role bacterial metabolites may play in development of the immune system, even before clinical manifestations of allergic disease arise.
authors.affiliation: 1 Natural Product Laboratory, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands.|2 Winclove Probiotics, Hulstweg 11, 1032 LB Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Paediatrics, St. Antonius Hospital, P.O. Box 2500, 3430 EM Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: N B M M
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Rutten
authors.affiliation: 2 Winclove Probiotics, Hulstweg 11, 1032 LB Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Besseling-van der Vaart
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Paediatrics, Maxima Medical Center, P.O. Box 7777, 5500 MB Veldhoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: L E M
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Niers
authors.affiliation: 1 Natural Product Laboratory, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, St. Antonius Hospital, P.O. Box 2500, 3430 EM Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.|6 Science Department, University College Roosevelt, Lange Noordstraat 1, 4330 AB Middelburg, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Rijkers
authors.affiliation: 2 Winclove Probiotics, Hulstweg 11, 1032 LB Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Hemert
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004485:Eczema / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000032:analysis*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D010919:Placebos
keywords: atopy; intestinal microbiota; metabolites; probiotics