Possible link of a compositional change in intestinal microbiota with the anti-allergic effect of fructo-oligosaccharides in NC/jic mice.

Food allergy was induced in two groups of NC/jic mice. Mice fed frucuto-oligosaccharides showed fewer allergic symptoms than control diet-fed mice. The cecal microbiota compositions were clearly different between the two groups, and the difference was partly attributable to Clostridia possession. A possible link of the compositional change in intestinal micriobiota with the anti-allergic effect of fructo-oligosaccharides is suggested.

Increased number of CCR4-positive cells in the duodenum of ovalbumin-induced food allergy model Nc/jic mice and antiallergic activity of fructooligosaccharides.

BACKGROUND: Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) in prebiotic foods can alter intestinal immune responses. The combination of probiotics with oligosaccharides has been reported to alter intestinal flora and suggested to be beneficial against food allergy in humans. METHODS: All male Nc/jic mice used in this 8-week study were 6 weeks of age and were allotted to the following three groups: (1) the nonsensitization group; (2) the ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization +5% fructose-containing control food administration group; and (3) the OVA sensitization +5% FOS-containing food administration group. Duodenal tissues were collected and then immunohistochemically stained with monoclonal antibodies to CCR4 and CCR5. The number of mast cells and the villus edema formation rate in the duodenum were determined by image analysis. RESULTS: The number of CCR4-positive cells increased significantly in Group 2 as compared with Group 1 and tended to decrease in Group 3 as compared with Group 2. Relatively few CCR5-positive cells were observed in the duodenum. FOS tended to reduce the number of CCR4-positive cells but significantly reduced the number of mast cells and the edema formation rate in the duodenum. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a correlation between the number of CCR4-positive cells and villus edema formation rate. Therefore, FOS, which we inferred to show antiallergic activity for food allergy in this study and which has already been established to be safe for use as food in humans, can be considered to be potentially useful for the prevention of food allergy in pediatric patients with allergy.

Airway remodeling: a comparison between fatal and nonfatal asthma.

BACKGROUND: Airway remodeling has been recently one of the main goals in asthma research because it has been implicated to influence airway behavior and evolution of asthma; hence, important in long-term followup of asthmatic patients. METHODS: Airways of fatal asthma (n=3), non-fatal asthma (n=3) and control cases (n=4) were studied using morphometry and immunohistochemical and H&E staining. RESULTS: The basement membrane was thicker in the cartilaginous and membranous airways of fatal and non-fatal asthma groups compared to the control group (p<0.05). Smooth muscle shortening was greater in airways of fatal asthma cases while submucosal gland area and mucus plug occupying ratio were greater in fatal asthma large airways compared to the two other groups (p<0.01). Increased intact and degranulated mast cells were observed in smooth muscle and in submucosal gland of fatal asthma airways (p<0.01) and were associated with greater degree of smooth muscle shortening and larger submucosal gland area, respectively. Eosinophil and EG2+ cell infiltrations were greatest in lamina propria of airways of fatal asthma than in nonfatal and control cases (p<0.01), but were not associated with any airway structural change. CONCLUSION: Increased infiltration of eosinophils in the lamina propria and mast cells in smooth muscle and submucosal glands may have a role in airway remodeling of fatal asthma airways but needs further investigation. Moreover, mast cells in cartilaginous airways may participate in the regulation of smooth muscle tone and mucous gland secretion and hyperplasia.