Consumption of fructo-oligosaccharide reduces 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity in mice

Abstract

Strategies to manipulate the intestinal microbiota have been considered to promote immune health. The aim of the present study was to examine whether fructo-oligosaccharide, a typical prebiotic, could suppress antigen-specific skin inflammation by favourably changing the population of intestinal microbiota. Female BALB/c mice were fed a synthetic diet with or without fructo-oligosaccharide supplementation for 3 weeks and were then epicutaneously immunised with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. Afterwards, mice continued to receive their respective diets. At 5 d after immunisation, the mice were ear challenged with the hapten. Ear swelling after the challenge was significantly reduced in the mice fed the diet supplemented with fructo-oligosaccharide than in mice fed the control diet. To characterise the change in the intestinal microbiota, DNA samples isolated from fresh faeces were subjected to PCR -denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and real-time PCR based on 16S rDNA gene sequences. Dietary fructo-oligosaccharide altered the composition of intestinal microbiota. The numbers of bifidobacteria, but not lactobacilli, were significantly higher in mice fed the fructo-oligosaccharide-supplemented diet than in mice fed the control diet. Ear swelling was negatively correlated with the numbers of bifidobacteria in the faeces. Sequence analysis revealed that Bifidobacterium pseudolongum was the most predominant bifidobacteria in the intestine of mice fed the fructo-oligosaccharide-supplemented diet. These results suggest that consumption of fructo-oligosaccharide reduces contact hypersensitivity, which is associated with proliferation of B. pseudolongum in the intestinal tract of mice. Prebiotics: Intestinal microbiota: Contact hypersensitivity: MiceAllergic contact dermatitis is one of the most prevalent human skin diseases, causing moderate to severe inflammatory damage. This pathological condition arises after contact hypersensitivity (CHS) (1) . CHS is a T cell-mediated, antigenspecific type of skin inflammation that is induced by topical skin contact with haptens in a previously sensitised host (2,3) . When the host is sensitised by application of the hapten, skin dendritic cells capture the hapten and migrate to draining lymph nodes, where they prime specific T cells. These cells differentiate into CHS effector cells, which recirculate through the blood. The second contact with the same hapten leads to a skin inflammatory response that peaks 24-48 h after challenge. Avoidance of causal allergens is one of the emphasised therapeutic suggestions for CHS; however, avoidance is not practical in the majority of cases.2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) (4) , picryl chloride (5) and oxazolone (6) have been used as typical haptens, which induce CHS in animals. DNFB-induced CHS in mice is the most widely used animal model for allergic contact dermatitis. In this model, mice are sensitised by application of DNFB onto shaved skin and are ear challenged by application of DNFB. Maximal ear swelling is observed 24 -48 h after challen...

2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-Induced Contact Hypersensitivity Response in NC/Nga Mice Fed Fructo-Oligosaccharide

“…2). The results are consistent with our previous studies (13,14,25) and suggest that dietary FOS influenced the composition of gut microbiota. However, both conventional culture analysis and 16S rRNA gene-based analysis showed no detectable levels of bifidobacteria in the gut of NC/Nga mice (data not shown).…”

“…We previously observed that dietary FOS reduced DNFB-induced CHS in BALB/c mice ( 25 ). In the present study, experiment 1 tested whether NC/Nga mice also showed the reduction of DNFB-induced CHS by dietary FOS.…”

“…In our previous study, the DNFB-induced CHS was negatively correlated with the number of bifidobacteria in the gut of BALB/c mice fed FOS(Ϫ) and FOS(ϩ) (25). Because sequence analysis revealed that Bifidobacterium pseudolongum was the most predominant bifidobacterium in the gut of FOS-supplemented BALB/c mice, we postulated that the reduction in the CHS response by FOS consumption was attributable to the proliferation of B. pseudolongum in the gut.…”

Administration of Antibiotics during Infancy Promoted the Development of Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in NC/Nga Mice

“…Amplification and detection of fecal DNA were performed with a Smart Cycler II (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA), as described previously. 31) Briefly, a Lactobacillus genus-specific primer pair (forward, TGG AAA CAG (A/G)TG CTA ATA CCG; reverse, GTC CAT TGT GGA AGA TTC CC) 32) was used. Real-time PCR was performed in a reaction volume of 25 ml, containing 12.…”

Dietary α-Linked Galacto-Oligosaccharide Suppresses Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Peritonitis in BALB/c Mice

“…15) Vos et al reported that consumption of a mixture of long-chain FOS and short-chain GOS suppressed airway hyperresponsiveness and infiltration of inflammatory cells in an OVA-induced allergic asthma model of BALB/c mice. 16) In addition, we have reported that dietary FOS reduced 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzeneinduced contact hypersensitivity in BALB/c mice, 17) but the mechanisms of the anti-allergic effect of dietary indigestible oligosaccharides are not fully understood.…”