Oligosaccharide-induced whey-specific CD25(+) regulatory T-cells are involved in the suppression of cow milk allergy in mice

J Nutr. 2010 Apr;140(4):835-41. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.116061. Epub 2010 Feb 17.

Abstract

Dietary intervention with a unique prebiotic nondigestible carbohydrate mixture has been shown to reduce the development of allergic disease in infants at risk. In this study, the involvement of CD25(+) regulatory T-cells (Treg) in the carbohydrate-induced effects was investigated in mice orally sensitized with whey using adoptive transfer experiments. Donor mice were sensitized with whey and fed a diet containing short-chain galacto-, long-chain fructo- and acidic-oligosaccharides, or a control diet starting 2 wk before sensitization. The acute allergic skin reaction upon intradermal whey challenge was determined and whey-specific Ig were measured. Splenocytes of the donor mice were transferred to naïve recipient mice after partial ex vivo depletion of CD25(+) Treg. The prebiotic diet clearly diminished the acute allergic skin reaction (P < 0.001). Whey-sensitized recipient mice transferred with splenocytes from whey-sensitized, prebiotic-fed donor mice displayed almost complete prevention of the acute allergic skin reaction compared with mice receiving cells from sham-sensitized, prebiotic-fed donor mice (P < 0.001). Partial depletion of CD25(+) T-cells inhibited these effects (P < 0.001), although IgE sensitization was not prevented. This study indicates the involvement of whey-specific CD25(+) Treg in the suppression of the allergic effector response induced by dietary intervention with prebiotics.

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / immunology
  • Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Milk
  • Milk Hypersensitivity / prevention & control*
  • Milk Proteins / immunology*
  • Oligosaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Prebiotics / standards
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
  • Spleen / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism*
  • Whey Proteins

Substances

  • Il2ra protein, mouse
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Milk Proteins
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Prebiotics
  • Whey Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin E