Immunity
& Allergy
Infants’ allergies have dramatically increased in recent years and currently affect 20% of the population. Studies have shown that nutrition and microbiota development in early life can impact their development.
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Allergies & atopic diseases
Food allergy is one the of the most common chronic diseases of childhood, especially if persistent, impacting growth and nutrition, quality of life, and may even be life threatening due to the risk of anaphylaxis. Cow’s milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common types of food allergy in industrialised countries (Flom and Sicherer 2019).
Dietary management of CMA consists of 2 approaches, one is “passive” approach, consisting of elimination diet, the other one is “proactive” approach, meaning actively modulate the immune system. Gut microbiota dysbiosis induces altered gut function, which results in aberrant immune response towards allergic pathways instead of protective tolerogenic pathways (Plunkett and Nagler 2017).
Furthermore, the gut immune system, the so-called gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), has 70 – 80% of the immune cells of the body (Castro and Arntzen, 1993), which make it the largest ‘immune organ” of the body. Targeting gut microbiota by using nutritional factors to actively immunomodulate the immune system opens therefore exciting research potential.
Experts Interviews on immunity & allergy
Experts Interviews - Atopic dermatitis
Prof. Jean-Pierre Chouraqui
Immunity & Allergy
Atopic dermatitis, often characterised by atopic eczema, is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide, with approximately 230 million people around the world affected by it.Atopic dermatitis (AD) usually starts in infancy, and affects up to 20% of children. The symptoms of atopic dermatitis in infants are usually skin dryness and itchiness.In this expert’s interview, Dr. Chouraqui, explains the causes, the various diagnosis, and the clinical features of atopic dermatitis.
Dr. Jean-Pierre Chouraqui is a member of the French Society of Paediatrics (SFP) and of Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (GFHGNP).Besides conducting several Clinical studies, he is the author and co-author of more than 140 scientific articles and reviews and gave speeches at more than 250 national and international congresses. His main clinical research focus is on infant nutrition, and particularly, the effect of probiotics on infants’ health, food allergies, and gastrointestinal disorders.
experts publications on immunity & Allergy
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Probiotics maintain intestinal secretory immunoglobulin A levels in healthy formula-fed infants: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Biotics & Microbiome Health
L. Xiao et al. (2019)
As timely probiotic administration was suggested to promote immune system development in formula-fed infants, this study aimed at assessing the safety and the effects of a probiotic supplement on mucosal immune competence and digestive function in formula-fed infants.
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2′-fucosyllactose inhibits imiquimod-induced psoriasis in mice by regulating Th17 cell response via the STAT3 signaling pathway
Immunity & Allergy
Lei K. et al. (2020)
Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory cutaneous disorder with Th17 cells and Th17-related cytokines playing an important role in its development. 2′-fucosyllactose, which makes up about 30% of all HMOs in blood type secretor positive maternal milk, plays an essential role in supporting aspects of immune development and regulation.
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From lab bench to formulated ingredient: Characterization, production, and commercialization of human milk oligosaccharides
Immunity & Allergy
Walsh et al. (2020)
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are known to positively influence infant health. Extensive variation exists in the levels, diversity, and complexity of oligosaccharides in the milk of a lactating mother.
Webinars on Immunity & Allergy
Webinar - Cow's milk allergy
Prof. Christophe Dupont
Immunity & Allergy
Cow’s milk allergy is a common diagnosis in early life. It consists of an allergic reaction to the protein present in cow’s milk and manifests as a variety of symptoms such as skin reactions and digestive issues which commonly develop in infants. In this webinar, Prof. Christophe Dupont, from the University of Paris Descartes, addresses the clinical symptoms and the treatments for this condition.
Dr. Christophe Dupont has been a Paediatric Gastroenterologist (GI) since 1980, and has specialised in endoscopy, with a focus on endoscopy in neonates and allergic children. He was formerly head of the ambulatory paediatric GI department at Hospital Necker in Paris and Emeritus professor at Paris-Descartes University. Dr. Dupont is now president of the Committee of Nutrition of the French Society of Pediatrics and he is currently working in the field of pediatric GI and severe food allergy, diagnosis and treatment. He is also the co-founder of the company DBV Technologies. He is the principal investigator in numerous clinical trials, in the field of gastroesophageal reflux, diarrhea, constipation, infant nutrition and food allergy. Dr. Dupont has published over 300 publications in peer-reviewed papers.
More Experts interviews on immunity & Allergy
Funded projects on immunity & Allergy
Immune mechanisms driving the acquisition of remission following treatment with Probiotic and Peanut Oral Immunotherapy (PPOIT)
Immunity & Allergy
Tang M., Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia, 2022
Food allergies are a major health burden globally. There is currently no cure so management relies on allergen avoidance, which causes significantly reduced quality of life2. Intense research effort has focused on developing treatments that induce remission of allergy.
Exploring perinatal factors on vertical microbiota transmission : modulation of early life gut microbiota to prevent long-term effects
Immunity & Allergy
Langella P., Micalis Institute, INRA, France, 2019
The project target C-section delivered newborns. It will analyse the role of microbiota in the higher risk of this population to Allergy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), mainly Crohn Disease (CD), using murine models and define new preventive strategies based on microbiota modulation by nutritional approaches (mainly probiotics).
PREMIPLA project : the effect of antenatal Prebiotics supplementation on Microbiota in Placenta in the context of allergy prevention
Immunity & Allergy
Bodinier M., INRA, France, 2019
Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is the earliest and the most common manifestation of allergies. Recent studies have shown that allergies were associated with a disruption of the gut microbial ‘balance’ suggesting that the use of nutritional intervention very early in life may restore an optimal pattern of microflora aiming at improving the host’s health.
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Does colonization of butyrate producers impact susceptibility to atopic dermatitis ?
Immunity & Allergy
Schwab C. et al, ETH Zürich, Kispi Zurich, Ostschweizer Kinderspital, Switzerland, 2018
Gut microbiota development is impacted by mode of delivery, diet, lifestyle and environmental parameters such as closeness to animals. These parameters impact gut microbiota composition and have been linked to allergy protective effects (‘Microbiota hypothesis’).
4 areas of expertise
Stay at the forefront of healthcare innovation and best practices, empowering yourself with the latest research and insights in our four areas of expertise : mother and child health, biotics and microbiome health, immunity and allergy and brain development.
Resources Information for parents
Raising awareness of maternal and infant health to parents is an important duty of health care professionals. We created the parents corner to provide you with insightful resources to help you in your mission.
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