Immune-Mediated Mechanisms of Action of Probiotics and Synbiotics in Treating Pediatric Intestinal Diseases

Abstract

The pediatric population is continually at risk of developing infectious and inflammatory diseases. The treatment for infections, particularly gastrointestinal conditions, focuses on oral or intravenous rehydration, nutritional support and, in certain case, antibiotics. Over the past decade, the probiotics and synbiotics administration for the prevention and treatment of different acute and chronic infectious diseases has dramatically increased. Probiotic microorganisms are primarily used as treatments because they can stimulate changes in the intestinal microbial ecosystem and improve the immunological status of the host. The beneficial impact of probiotics is mediated by different mechanisms. These mechanisms include the probiotics’ capacity to increase the intestinal barrier function, to prevent bacterial transferation and to modulate inflammation through immune receptor cascade signaling, as well as their ability to regulate the expression of selected host intestinal genes. Nevertheless, with respect to pediatric intestinal diseases, information pertaining to these key mechanisms of action is scarce, particularly for immune-mediated mechanisms of action. In the present work, we review the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of action of probiotics and synbiotics that affect the immune system.

Role of the Gut Microbiota in Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review

“…Little is known about the immunological effects of gut microbiota on the pathogenesis of AD (62,63). However, it has been proposed that probiotics may lead to an induction of regulatory T cells with suppression of interleukin (IL)-10 and TGF-ß (64,65).…”

Oral microbiomes: more and more importance in oral cavity and whole body

“…Interaction of variable oral microorganisms helps human body against invasion of undesirable stimulation outside. However, imbalance of microbial flora contributes to oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis (Holt et al, 1988 ; Jorth et al, 2014 ; Liu et al, 2012 ; Philip et al, 2018 ; Wasfi et al, 2018 ; Costalonga and Herzberg, 2014 ), oral mucosal diseases (Saikaly, 2018 ) and systemic diseases, such as gastrointestinal and nervous systemic diseases (Jorth et al, 2014 ; Atarashi, 2017 ; Blod et al, 2017 ; Fardini et al, 2010 ; Kuczynski et al, 2012 ; Ling et al, 2015 ; Lirajunior and Boström, 2018 ; Peters et al, 2017 ; Plaza-Diaz et al, 2018 ; Reddy et al, 2018 ; Roszyk and Puszczewicz, 2017 ; Zarco et al, 2012 ). Oral microbiomes play an important role in the human microbial community and human health (Zarco et al, 2012 ).…”

Human oral microbiome characterization and its association with environmental microbiome revealed by the Earth Microbiome Project

“…The complex and variable interaction of oral microbes helps the body to fight against the external undesirable stimuli. However, the imbalances of microbial community in oral cavity can lead to the oral diseases, such as the dental caries, periodontitis, oral mucosal diseases and systemic diseases such as gastrointestinal and neurological diseases [2,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Therefore, the oral microbiome plays an important role in maintaining the balance between human microbial communities and human health [14,15].…”