TITLE:
Mechanisms of preventative and therapeutic role of probiotics in different allergic and autoimmune disorders
AUTHORS:
Öner Özdemir
KEYWORDS:
Probiotics; Allergic Disease; Autoimmune Disease; Atopic Dermatitis; Asthma
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Immunology,
Vol.3 No.3,
September
18,
2013
ABSTRACT: The prevalence of allergic and autoimmune diseases has
been increasing from the last decades of 20th century. Intestinal microflora
contributes to antigen exposure in early life and is one of the most abundant
sources of early immune stimulation as well as adaptation. Because allergic and
autoimmune responses manifest early in life, there has been obvious interest in
the potential benefits of modifying the gastrointestinal flora by using probiotic supplementation. So far, there have been several studies to address the role of probiotics in primary
prevention and therapy, with a reported suspicious reduction in the incidence
of atopic and autoimmune diseases. Here, our aim is to evaluate the available
knowledge of mechanisms of preventative and
therapeutic role of probiotics in different allergic and autoimmune
disorders. Promising mechanisms of probiotic effects may be categorized as
local and systemic effects. Local influences of probiotics potentially include
reduction of gut permeability and systemic penetration of antigens, increased
local immunoglobulin A production, and alteration of local inflammation or
tolerance induction. Some possible systemic effects consist of anti-inflammatory
effects mediated by Th17 cells and Toll-like receptors, Th1 skewing of responses
to allergens, activation of tolerogenic
dendritic cells, in addition to T-regulatory cell production.