A distinct microbiota composition is associated with protection from food allergy in an oral mouse immunization model

Publication date: December 2016
Source:Clinical Immunology, Volume 173
Author(s): Susanne C. Diesner, Cornelia Bergmayr, Barbara Pfitzner, Vera Assmann, Durga Krishnamurthy, Philipp Starkl, David Endesfelder, Michael Rothballer, Gerhard Welzl, Thomas Rattei, Thomas Eiwegger, Zsolt Szépfalusi, Heinz Fehrenbach, Erika Jensen-Jarolim, Anton Hartmann, Isabella Pali-Schöll, Eva Untersmayr
In our mouse model, gastric acid-suppression is associated with antigen-specific IgE and anaphylaxis development. We repeatedly observed non-responder animals protected from food allergy. Here, we aimed to analyse reasons for this protection. Ten out of 64 mice, subjected to oral ovalbumin (OVA) immunizations under gastric acid-suppression, were non-responders without OVA-specific IgE or IgG1 elevation, indicating protection from allergy. In these non-responders, allergen challenges confirmed reduced antigen uptake and lack of anaphylactic symptoms, while in allergic mice high levels of mouse mast-cell protease-1 and a body temperature reduction, indicative for anaphylaxis, were determined. Upon OVA stimulation, significantly lower IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13 levels were detected in non-responders, while IL-22 was significantly higher. Comparison of fecal microbiota revealed differences of bacterial communities on single bacterial Operational-Taxonomic-Unit level between the groups, indicating protection from food allergy being associated with a distinct microbiota composition in a non-responding phenotype in this mouse model.

Graphical abstract

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