Probiotics against airway allergy: host factors to consider

Relationship between dietary live microbe intake and the prevalence of COPD in adults: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 2013-2018

OBJECTIVE

To explore the potential association between dietary live microbes and the prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, data of 9791 participants aged 20 years or older in this study were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2013 and 2018. Participants in this study were classified into three groups according to the Sanders' dietary live microbe classification system: low, medium, and high dietary live microbe groups. COPD was defined by a combination of self-reported physician diagnoses and standardized medical status questionnaires. Logistic regression and subgroup analysis were used to assess whether dietary live microbes were associated with the risk of COPD.

RESULTS

Through full adjustment for confounders, participants in the high dietary live microbe group had a low prevalence of COPD in contrast to those in low dietary live microbe group (OR: 0.614, 95% CI: 0.474-0.795, and p < 0.001), but no significant association with COPD was detected in the medium and the low dietary live microbe groups. This inverse relationship between dietary live microbe intake and COPD prevalence was more inclined to occur in smokers, females, participants aged from 40 to 59 years old and non-obese participants.

CONCLUSION

A high dietary live microbe intake was associated with a low prevalence of COPD, and this negative correlation was detected especially in smokers, females, participants aged from 40 to 59 years old and non-obese participants.

Distribution and roles of Ligilactobacillus murinus in hosts

Ligilactobacillus murinus, a member of the Ligilactobacillus genus, holds significant potential as a probiotic. While research on Ligilactobacillus murinus has been relatively limited compared to well-studied probiotic lactic acid bacteria such as Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus gasseri, a mounting body of evidence highlights its extensive involvement in host intestinal metabolism and immune activities. Moreover, its abundance exhibits a close correlation with intestinal health. Notably, beyond the intestinal context, Ligilactobacillus murinus is gaining recognition for its contributions to metabolism and regulation in the oral cavity, lungs, and vagina. As such, Ligilactobacillus murinus emerges as a potential probiotic candidate with a pivotal role in supporting host well-being. This review delves into studies elucidating the multifaceted roles of Ligilactobacillus murinus. It also examines its medicinal potential and associated challenges, underscoring the imperative to delve deeper into unraveling the mechanisms of its actions and exploring its health applications.

Effect of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on cow milk allergenicity and antigenicity: A review

Cow milk is a major allergenic food. The potential prevention and treatment effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-fermented dairy products on allergic symptoms have garnered considerable attention. Cow milk allergy (CMA) is mainly attributed to extracellular and/or cell envelope proteolytic enzymes with hydrolysis specificity. Numerous studies have demonstrated that LAB prevents the risk of allergies by modulating the development and regulation of the host immune system. Specifically, LAB and its effectors can enhance intestinal barrier function and affect immune cells by interfering with humoral and cellular immunity. Fermentation hydrolysis of allergenic epitopes is considered the main mechanism of reducing CMA. This article reviews the linear epitopes of allergens in cow milk and the effect of LAB on these allergens and provides insight into the means of predicting allergenic epitopes by conventional laboratory analysis methods combined with molecular simulation. Although LAB can reduce CMA in several ways, the mechanism of action remains partially clarified. Therefore, this review additionally attempts to summarize the main mechanism of LAB fermentation to provide guidance for establishing an effective preventive and treatment method for CMA and serve as a reference for the screening, research, and application of LAB-based intervention.

Modulation of the Immune System Mechanisms using Probiotic Bacteria in Allergic Diseases: Focus on Allergic Retinitis and Food Allergies

Allergic illnesses occur when an organism's immune system is excessively responsive to certain antigens, such as those that are presented in the environment. Some people suffer from a wide range of immune system-related illnesses including allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergies, hay fever, and even anaphylaxis. Immunotherapy and medications are frequently used to treat allergic disorders. The use of probiotics in bacteriotherapy has lately gained interest. Probiotics are essential to human health by modulating the gut microbiota in some ways. Due to probiotics' immunomodulatory properties present in the gut microbiota of all animals, including humans, these bacterial strains can prevent a wide variety of allergic disorders. Probiotic treatment helps allergy patients by decreasing inflammatory cytokines and enhancing intestinal permeability, which is important in the battle against allergy. By altering the balance of Th1 and Th2 immune responses in the intestinal mucosa, probiotics can heal allergic disorders. Numerous studies have shown a correlation between probiotics and a reduced risk of allergy disorders. A wide range of allergic disorders, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic retinitis and food allergies has been proven to benefit from probiotic bacteria. Therefore, the use of probiotics in the treatment of allergic diseases offers a promising perspective. Considering that probiotic intervention in the treatment of diseases is a relatively new field of study, more studies in this regard seem necessary.

Together or Alone: Evaluating the Pathogen Inhibition Potential of Bacterial Cocktails against an Amphibian Pathogen

The amphibian fungal skin disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has caused major biodiversity losses globally. Several experimental trials have tested the use of Janthinobacterium lividum to reduce mortality due to Bd infections, usually in single-strain amendments. It is well-characterized in terms of its anti-Bd activity mechanisms. However, there are many other microbes that inhibit Bd in vitro, and not all experiments have demonstrated consistent results with J. lividum. We used a series of in vitro assays involving bacterial coculture with Bd lawns, bacterial growth tests in liquid broth, and Bd grown in bacterial cell-free supernatant (CFS) to determine: (i) which skin bacteria isolated from a locally endangered amphibian, namely, the Colorado boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas), are able to inhibit Bd growth; (ii) whether multistrain combinations are more effective than single-strains; and (iii) the mechanism behind microbe-microbe interactions. Our results indicate that there are some single strain and multistrain probiotics (especially including strains from Pseudomonas, Chryseobacterium, and Microbacterium) that are potentially more Bd-inhibitive than is J. lividum alone and that some combinations may lead to a loss of inhibition, potentially through antagonistic metabolite effects. Additionally, if J. lividum continues being developed as a wild boreal toad probiotic, we should investigate it in combination with Curvibacter CW54D, as they inhibited Bd additively and grew at a higher rate when combined than did either alone. This highlights the fact that combinations of probiotics function in variable and unpredictable ways as well as the importance of considering the potential for interactions among naturally resident host microbiota and probiotic additions. IMPORTANCE Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a pathogen that infects amphibians globally and is causing a biodiversity crisis. Our research group studies one of the species affected by Bd, namely, the Colorado boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas). Many researchers focus their studies on one probiotic bacterial isolate called Janthinobacterium lividum, which slows Bd growth in lab cultures and is currently being field tested in Colorado boreal toads. Although promising, J. lividum is not consistently effective across all amphibian individuals or species. For Colorado boreal toads, we addressed whether there are other bacterial strains that also inhibit Bd (potentially better than does J. lividum) and whether we can create two-strain probiotics that function better than do single-strain probiotics. In addition, we evaluate which types of interactions occur between two-strain combinations and what these results mean in the context of adding a probiotic to an existing amphibian skin microbiome.

Immunomodulatory role of oral microbiota in inflammatory diseases and allergic conditions

In recent years, the interplay between oral microbiota and systemic disease has gained attention as poor oral health is associated with several pathologies. The oral microbiota plays a role in the maintenance of overall health, and its dysbiosis influences chronic inflammation and the pathogenesis of gum diseases. Periodontitis has also been associated with other diseases and health complications such as cancer, neurogenerative and autoimmune disorders, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases, rheumatic arthritis, respiratory health, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The host microbiota can influence immune cell development and immune responses, and recent evidence suggests that changes in oral microbiota composition may also contribute to sensitization and the development of allergic reactions, including asthma and peanut allergies. Conversely, there is also evidence that allergic reactions within the gut may contribute to alterations in oral microbiota composition. Here we review the current evidence of the role of the oral microbiota in inflammatory diseases and health complications, as well as its future relevance in improving health and ameliorating allergic disease.

Moonlighting glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) protein of Lactobacillus gasseri attenuates allergic asthma via immunometabolic change in macrophages

BACKGROUND

The extra-intestinal effects of probiotics for preventing allergic diseases are well known. However, the probiotic components that interact with host target molecules and have a beneficial effect on allergic asthma remain unknown. Lactobacillus gasseri attenuates allergic airway inflammation through the activation of peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in dendritic cells. Therefore, we aimed to isolate and investigate the immunomodulatory effect of the PPARγ activation component from L. gasseri.

METHODS

Culture supernatants of L. gasseri were fractionated and screened for the active component for allergic asthma. The isolated component was subjected to in vitro functional assays and then cloned. The crystal structure of this component protein was determined using X-ray crystallography. Intrarectal inoculation of the active component-overexpressing Clear coli (lipopolysaccharide-free Escherichia coli) and intraperitoneal injection of recombinant component protein were used in a house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic asthma mouse model to investigate the protective effect. Recombinant mutant component proteins were assayed, and their structures were superimposed to identify the detailed mechanism of alleviating allergic inflammation.

RESULTS

A moonlighting protein, glycolytic glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), LGp40, that has multifunctional effects was purified from cultured L. gasseri, and the crystal structure was determined. Both intrarectal inoculation of LGp40-overexpressing Clear coli and intraperitoneal administration of recombinant LGp40 protein attenuated allergic inflammation in a mouse model of allergic asthma. However, CDp40, GAPDH isolated from Clostridium difficile did not possess this anti-asthma effect. LGp40 redirected allergic M2 macrophages toward the M1 phenotype and impeded M2-prompted Th2 cell activation through glycolytic activity that induced immunometabolic changes. Recombinant mutant LGp40, without enzyme activity, showed no protective effect against HDM-induced airway inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a novel mechanism of moonlighting LGp40 in the reversal of M2-prompted Th2 cell activation through glycolytic activity, which has an important immunoregulatory role in preventing allergic asthma. Our results provide a new strategy for probiotics application in alleviating allergic asthma.

Endotracheal tube microbiome in hospitalized patients defined largely by hospital environment

Background

Studies of the respiratory tract microbiome primarily focus on airway and lung microbial diversity, but it is still unclear how these microbial communities may be affected by intubation and long periods in intensive care units (ICU), an aspect that today could aid in the understanding of COVID19 progression and disease severity. This study aimed to explore and characterize the endotracheal tube (ETT) microbiome by analyzing ETT-associated microbial communities.

Methods

This descriptive study was carried out on adult patients subjected to invasive mechanical ventilation from 2 to 21 days. ETT samples were obtained from 115 patients from ICU units in two hospitals. Bacteria isolated from endotracheal tubes belonging to the ESKAPE group were analyzed for biofilm formation using crystal violet quantification. Microbial profiles were obtained using Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene.

Results

The ETT microbiome was mainly composed by the phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Microbiome composition correlated with the ICU in which patients were hospitalized, while intubation time and diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) did not show any significant association.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the ICU environment, or medical practices, could be a key to microbial colonization and have a direct influence on the ETT microbiomes of patients that require mechanical ventilation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02086-7.

Probiotic properties of a Spaceflight-induced mutant Lactobacillus plantarum SS18-50 in mice

BACKGROUND

Probiotics are a group of bacteria that play a critical role in intestinal microbiota homeostasis and may help adjunctively treat certain diseases like metabolic and immune disorders.

OBJECTIVE

We recently generated a space-flight mutated Lactobacillus plantarum SS18-50 with good in vitro probiotic characteristics. In the current research, we designed two in vivo experiments to evaluate whether L. plantarum SS18-50 had the ability to increase beneficial gut bacteria, regulate oxidative status and ameliorate inflammation in mice.

METHODS

Experiments I: the ICR mice were gavaged with L. plantarum SS18-50 or its wild type L. plantarum GS18 at 107 or 109 CFU/kg BW daily for one month, during which the body weight was recorded weekly. The feces were collected to determine the abundance of two main beneficial bacterial groups including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium by selective culturing, while the total triglycerides and cholesterols in sera were determined using commercial kits. Experiment II: the mice were gavaged with loperamide hydrochloride to develop oxidative stress and inflammation phenotypes. At the same time, the experimental mice were gavaged with L. plantarum SS18-50 or wild type L. plantarum GS18 at 107 or 109 CFU/kg BW daily for one month. At the end of experiment, oxidative indicators (SOD and MDA) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-17A and IL-10) were measured by commercial kits.

RESULTS

Results showed that L. plantarum SS18-50 increased the abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in mice after one month's administration. L. plantarum SS18-50 also showed the anti-oxidant activity by increasing SOD and decreasing MDA, and exerted the anti-inflammatory effect by increasing IL-10 and decreasing IL-17A in Lop treated mice. Both the wild type stain and the space mutant had such biomedical effects, but L. plantarum SS18-50 was better in increasing gut beneficial bacteria and oxidative regulation than the wild type (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

we conclude that L. plantarum SS18-50 has a great potential to serve as a dietary functional probiotic supplement and/or adjunctive treatment strategy.

Impact of Probiotic Bacteria on Respiratory Allergy Disorders

Respiratory allergy is a common disease with an increased prevalence worldwide. The effective remedy is still unknown, and a new therapeutic approach is highly desirable. The review elaborates the influence of probiotic bacteria on respiratory allergy prevention and treatment with particular emphasis on the impact of the current methods of their administration – oral and intranasal. The background of the respiratory allergy is complex thus, we focused on the usefulness of probiotics in the alleviation of different allergy factors, in particular involved in pathomechanism, local hypersensitive evidence and the importance of epithelial barrier. In this review, we have shown that (1) probiotic strains may vary in modulatory potential in respiratory allergy, (2) probiotic bacteria are beneficial in oral and intranasal administration, (3) recombinant probiotic bacteria can modulate the course of respiratory allergy.

Mucus, Microbiomes and Pulmonary Disease

The respiratory tract harbors a stable and diverse microbial population within an extracellular mucus layer. Mucus provides a formidable defense against infection and maintaining healthy mucus is essential to normal pulmonary physiology, promoting immune tolerance and facilitating a healthy, commensal lung microbiome that can be altered in association with chronic respiratory disease. How one maintains a specialized (healthy) microbiome that resists significant fluctuation remains unknown, although smoking, diet, antimicrobial therapy, and infection have all been observed to influence microbial lung homeostasis. In this review, we outline the specific role of polymerizing mucin, a key functional component of the mucus layer that changes during pulmonary disease. We discuss strategies by which mucin feed and spatial orientation directly influence microbial behavior and highlight how a compromised mucus layer gives rise to inflammation and microbial dysbiosis. This emerging field of respiratory research provides fresh opportunities to examine mucus, and its function as predictors of infection risk or disease progression and severity across a range of chronic pulmonary disease states and consider new perspectives in the development of mucolytic treatments.

Lactic Acid Bacteria and Natural Product Complex Ameliorates Ovalbumin-Induced Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Mice

The incidence of respiratory diseases, such as asthma, has substantially increased in recent times owing to environmental changes, such as air pollution. Induction of a chronic inflammatory response begins with production of biologically active mediators from the airway epithelium, which attracts and recruits inflammatory cells into the lung airway. In our previous study, we confirmed that Lactobacillus casei HY2782 and Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis HY8002 could improve lung inflammation in the COPD animal model. In this study, we investigated the effect of the HY2782 complex against airway hyperresponsiveness by using an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced animal model. An orally administered HY2782 complex on OVA-induced allergic asthma in a BALB/c mouse model was used. The present results showed that the HY2782 complex suppressed total immunoglobulin E in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The cytokine production profile in BALF and serum revealed that the HY2782 complex showed reduced levels of Th2 cytokines among immune factors released due to the elevated allergic response. Levels of inflammatory mediators in BALF, MCP-1, MIP-2, and CXCL-9 were decreased by oral administration of the HY2782 complex. Lower numbers of eosinophils and neutrophils in BALF suggested that inflammation was ameliorated by the HY2782 complex. Histological observation of lung sections also showed infiltration of fewer cells. From results, we suggested that the HY2782 complex effectively responds to improvement of the immune response and airway hypersensitivity reaction because of the anti-inflammatory effect of the Pueraria lobata root extract and antioxidant effect of HY2782.

The impact of prenatal use of oral Clostridium butyricum on maternal group B Streptococcus colonization: A retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of taking Clostridium butyricum (Miyarisan BM) orally for 4 weeks since the 32⁺⁰ weeks of gestation on preventing Group B Streptococcus colonization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively collected data on the pregnancy outcomes of 1602 women between October 2017 and August 2019. The control group received standard antenatal care, and the intervention group received standard antenatal care with a daily oral dose of probiotics since the 32⁺⁰ weeks of gestation. The daily dose was one pack of C. butyricum (Miyarisan BM) once or twice a day. A vaginal Group B Streptococcus swab was collected between 36⁺⁰ and 36⁺⁶ weeks of gestation.

RESULTS

After applying the designated exclusion criteria, the total number of participants was 1576. The Group B Streptococcus colonization rate was significantly decreased in the intervention group (P = 0.0338; adjusted OR: 0.66 (0.45-0.97)).

CONCLUSION

Probiotics can reduce the colonization rate of Group B Streptococcus in the vagina and rectum under three conditions: (1) intervention of adequate length, (2) sufficient probiotic dose, and (3) effective probiotics.

Probiotics as a Possible Strategy for the Prevention and Treatment of Allergies. A Narrative Review

Allergies are an increasing global public health concern, especially for children and people living in urban environments. Allergies impair the quality of life of those who suffer from them, and for this reason, alternatives for the treatment of allergic diseases or reduction in their symptoms are being sought. The main objective of this study was to compile the studies carried out on probiotics as a possible therapy for allergies. The most studied allergies on which probiotics have been shown to have a beneficial effect are rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Most studies have studied the administration of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. in children and have shown beneficial effects, such as a reduction in hyperreactivity and inflammation caused by allergens and a decrease in cytokine release, among other beneficial effects. In the case of children, no clear beneficial effects were found in several studies, and the potential risk from the use of some opportunistic bacteria, such as probiotics, seems controversial. In the studies that reported beneficial results, these effects were found to make allergy symptoms less aggressive, thus reducing morbidity in allergy sufferers. The different effects of the same probiotic bacteria on different patients seem to reinforce the idea that the efficacy of probiotics is dependent on the microbial species or strain, its derived metabolites and byproducts, and the gut microbiota eubiosis of the patient. This study is relevant in the context of allergic diseases, as it provides a broader understanding of new alternatives for the treatment of allergies, both in children, who are the main sufferers, and adults, showing that probiotics, in some cases, reduce the symptoms and severity of such diseases.

The role of lactobacilli in inhibiting skin pathogens

The human skin microbiota forms a key barrier against skin pathogens and is important in modulating immune responses. Recent studies identify lactobacilli as endogenous inhabitants of healthy skin, while inflammatory skin conditions are often associated with a disturbed skin microbiome. Consequently, lactobacilli-based probiotics are explored as a novel treatment of inflammatory skin conditions through their topical skin application. This review focuses on the potential beneficial role of lactobacilli (family Lactobacillaceae) in the skin habitat, where they can exert multifactorial local mechanisms of action against pathogens and inflammation. On one hand, lactobacilli have been shown to directly compete with skin pathogens through adhesion inhibition, production of antimicrobial metabolites, and by influencing pathogen metabolism. The competitive anti-pathogenic action of lactobacilli has already been described mechanistically for common different skin pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Cutibacterium acnes, and Candida albicans. On the other hand, lactobacilli also have an immunomodulatory capacity associated with a reduction in excessive skin inflammation. Their influence on the immune system is mediated by bacterial metabolites and cell wall-associated or excreted microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). In addition, lactobacilli can also enhance the skin barrier function, which is often disrupted as a result of infection or in inflammatory skin diseases. Some clinical trials have already translated these mechanistic insights into beneficial clinical outcomes, showing that topically applied lactobacilli can temporarily colonize the skin and promote skin health, but more and larger clinical trials are required to generate in vivo mechanistic insights and in-depth skin microbiome analysis.

Shaping the Future of Probiotics and Prebiotics

Recent and ongoing developments in microbiome science are enabling new frontiers of research for probiotics and prebiotics. Novel types, mechanisms, and applications currently under study have the potential to change scientific understanding as well as nutritional and healthcare applications of these interventions. The expansion of related fields of microbiome-targeted interventions, and an evolving landscape for implementation across regulatory, policy, prescriber, and consumer spheres, portends an era of significant change. In this review we examine recent, emerging, and anticipated trends in probiotic and prebiotic science, and create a vision for broad areas of developing influence in the field.

In vitro probiotic screening and evaluation of space-induced mutant Lactobacillus plantarum

Space mutation is an efficient tool in microbial breeding. The aim of the present study was to screen out space-induced mutants of Lactobacillus plantarum with potent probiotic properties. The wild-type Lactobacillus plantarum GS18 was subjected to 31 days and 18.5 hr of space flight, in which 13 isolates were selected for analysis. These mutants were assayed for milk fermentation performance, low pH resistance, bile salt tolerance, hydrophobicity, and antimicrobial activity. The 16S rDNA sequencing was applied to identify the stain and compare it with the wild type. Results showed that the isolate L. plantarum SS18-50 had the strongest probiotic properties with no mutation in 16S rRNA sequence compared to the wild type. Specifically, L. plantarum SS18-50 had good milk fermentation performance. The viscosity of fermented milk, acid tolerance, and bile salt tolerance were increased by approximately 10%, 8%, and 9%, respectively (p < .05). The antibacterial activity (Escherichia Coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria Monocytogenes) was also increased significantly compared to the wild type (p < .05). This study indicates that L. plantarum SS18-50 has the great potential to serve as a probiotic for dairy products.

Lung microbiome and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Possible link and implications

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly emerging disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease begins as an infection of lungs, which is self-limiting in the majority of infections; however, some develop severe respiratory distress and organ failures. Lung microbiome, though neglected previously have received interest recently because of its association with several respiratory diseases and immunity. Lung microbiome can modify the risk and consequences of COVID-19 disease by activating an innate and adaptive immune response. In this review, we examine the current evidence on COVID-19 disease and lung microbiome, and how lung microbiome can affect SARS-CoV-2 infection and the outcomes of this disease. To date there is no direct evidence from human or animal studies on the role of lung microbiome in modifying COVID-19 disease; however, related studies support that microbiome can play an essential role in developing immunity against viral infections. Future studies need to be undertaken to find the relationship between lung microbiome and COVID-19 disease.

Update in Pediatric Asthma: Selected Issues

Asthma is a complex condition that affects 14% of the world's children and the approach to management includes both pharmacologic as well as non-pharmacologic strategies including attention to complex socioeconomic status phenomena. After an historical consideration of asthma, allergic and immunologic aspects of asthma in children and adolescents are presented. Concepts of socioeconomic aspects of asthma are considered along with environmental features and complications of asthma disparities. Also reviewed are links of asthma with mental health disorders, sleep disturbances and other comorbidities. A stepwise approach to asthma management is discussed that includes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies in the pediatric population. The role of immunotherapy and use of various immunomodulators are considered as well.