Effects of immunomodulatory supplementation with pre and probiotic on Th2-mediated airway inflammation in A/J and C57BL/6 mice

Studies have demonstrated that some probioticsand prebioticscould improve Th2 airway inflammation, such as asthma disease. However, it is unclear if a specific probioticand prebioticcould regulate asthma disease independent of genetic host and gut microbiota composition. Our objective is to elucidate if the habitual probioticand prebioticconsumption can affect Th2-mediated airway inflammationin two inbred mice, A/J and C57BL/6 (B6). It is known that A/J have a greater Th2 airway inflammationpredisposition than B6 and this fact was attributed to genetic difference. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of gut microbiota composition on Th2 inflammationpredisposition and the effects of the probiotic( Bifidobacterium longum) and the prebiotic(pectin fiber) on experimental asthma on both mouse strains. Before treatment, an Ion-Torrent 16S rRNA gene-based amplification and sequencing protocol was used to determine the fecal microbiota profile. Ten days before sensitization, they were treated with probioticor prebiotic. Experimental asthma was performed by sensitization and challenges with ovalbumin. Twenty-four hours after the last challenge, pulmonary inflammationand lung function were analyzed. Our results show that A/J mice have lower microbiota diversity than B6. Interestingly, probioticand prebiotictreatment reduced lung inflammationand airway hyperresponsiveness, only on A/J mice. The results suggest that low microbiota diversity and genetic background can predispose Th2 airway inflammation. Moreover, high gut microbiota diversity can to strengthen the barrier function of the mucous membrane and to interfere with the effects of pre and probiotics, such as we observed in B6 mice.