Aims: Food allergies are increasing, and no treatment exists, thus a strategy to prevent or reduce allergies would consist of modulating the host microbiota using either allochthonous bacteria (probiotics) or nondigestible food ingredients that can regulate the autochthonous microbiota (composition and metabolism), such as prebiotics. This study aimed to analyze the preventive effects of prebiotic feeding during perinatal and postweaning periods in a mouse model of food allergy.

Method: In our model, mice were exposed to prebiotics (GOS/Inulin) either via their mother during pregnancy and breast feeding period only or also via food during post-weaning period. Then, they were intraperitoneally sensitized to wheat proteins (modified gliadins) to induce a systemic response and then exposed orally to the same allergen.

Results: Regardless of the exposure period to prebiotics, mice were protected against food allergy and display lower clinical score, body temperature variation and specific IgE and histamine levels compared to mice with normal diet. Moreover prebiotics intake either via mother alone or combine with post-weaning period reinforces intestinal permeability without affecting motility. Immunity was also modified by prebiotics supplementation in diet as shown by the increase of TGF-β secretion by splenocytes associated with the increase of regulatory T cells frequency in mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer patches. A local decrease in IL-5 and IL-10 production together with an increase of IFN-γ production is also observed in mice reflecting the immune modulatory effect of prebiotics during perinatal periods.

Conclusion: Prebiotic supplemented diet during perinatal period protect against food allergy by decreasing levels of marker of allergy, clinical symptoms and intestinal permeability. Moreover, prebiotics also modulate immune reaction during allergy toward tolerance.