Clinical Effects of Probiotics are Associated with Increased Transforming Growth Factor-β Responses in Infants with High-Risk Allergy

Abstract

We recently demonstrated that the administration of probiotics resulted in a significantly reduced occurrence of atopic dermatitis in infants with high allergic risk. Therefore, the underlying immunological effects that are associated with these apparent clinical benefits were determined. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the pregnant women and their infants with a family history of allergic diseases were supplemented with either probiotics (mixture of Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4, Bifidobacterium lactis AD011, and Lactobacillus acidophilus AD031) or placebo once daily from 4−8 weeks before delivery to 6 months of infants' age. At 1 year of age, the levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β produced by peripheral blood monuclear cells from infants fed probiotics were significantly increased compared with those from infants fed placebo (p =0.042). Thus, reduction of atopic dermatitis prevalence with probiotics supplementation was associated with significant increases in the capacity of TGF-β responses.