Project description:This study examines the effect of a novel multistrain probiotic mixture on symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) and investigate potential targets underlying the probiotic treatment using proteomics. All engaged participants in our study are provided with informed consent, and the study design was approved by an ethics review board. Results imply that the novel probiotic mixture can alleviate rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms in pollen, and the proteome analyses suggested a series of proteins that might be targets underlying the probiotic intervention.
Project description:Prevalence and severity of allergic diseases have increased worldwide. To date, respiratory allergy phenotypes are not fully characterized and, along with inflammation progression, treatment is increasingly complex and expensive. Profilin sensitization constitutes a good model to study the progression of allergic inflammation. We have used microarrays to understand the underlying mechanisms of severe profilin-mediated reactions using a model that includes patients with different levels of sensitization to profilin (non-allergic, mild, moderate and severe)
Project description:The causes underlyed the acquisition and maintainance of a severe allergic phenotype remain unknown. Here, we study the cd3+ complete transcriptomic fingerprint from severity-stratified patients to understand the involvement of these cells in the development of severe allergy. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression of CD3+ cells from severity-stratified allergic patients
Project description:This study investigated the effect of a novel probiotic preparation on the colonic mucosal gene expression in UC patients, using whole genome gene expression microarrays.
Project description:BACKGROUND. The incidence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) has significantly increased in recent decades and coincides with lifestyle changes that have likely altered the composition of the gut microbiota. Dysbiosis and gut barrier dysfunction are associated with T1D, and notably, our studies have identified an inflammatory state in T1D families that is consistent microbial antigen exposure. METHODS. We conducted a 6-week, single-arm, open-label trial to investigate whether daily multi-strain probiotic (Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus) supplementation could reduce the familial inflammatory state in 25 unaffected siblings of diabetes patients. RESULTS. Probiotic supplementation was found safe and well-tolerated; there were no adverse events and participant adherence was 93%. Bacterial 16S rDNA gene sequencing of stool revealed that community alpha and beta diversity were not altered between the pre- and post-supplement samplings. LEfSe analyses identified post-supplement enrichment of the family Lachnospiraceae, producers of the anti-inflammatory short chain fatty acid butyrate. Systemic inflammation was measured by plasma induced transcription and quantified with a gene ontology-based composite inflammatory index (I.I.com). After supplementation, I.I.com was reduced (p=0.017), and pathway analysis predicted inhibition of IL17A, lipopolysaccharide, NFkB, IL1B, and TNF (Z-score≤-2.0) and activation of IL10RA (Z-score=2.0). Post-supplement plasma levels of IL12p40, IL-13, IL-15, IL-18, CCL2, CCL24 were reduced (p<0.05), while butyrate levels trended 2.4-fold higher (p=0.06). CONCLUSION. There is a substantial need for safe, broadly applicable therapies to reduce T1D susceptibility. This study indicates that investigations of prebiotic and probiotic strategies are warranted as they may be efficacious either alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents.
Project description:The hypocholesterolemic effect of probiotics has been observed, but the molecular mechanism of probiotic-host interaction is still obscure. In this study, DNA microarray technology was used to explore the gene expression profile of liver of hypercholesterolemic rats caused by administration of probiotic Lactobacillus casei Zhang, which can decrease the serum triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride of hypercholesterolemic rats. Six liver samples in high fat and probiotic treated group (3 samples in each group) were randomly selected for RNA isolation and microarray hybridization, the 3 samples in high fat group were used as control.