No statistically significant subgroup differences were found according to infant risk of allergy or type of infant feed .
There is some evidence that a prebiotic supplement added to infant feeds may prevent eczema .
It is unclear whether the use of prebiotic should be restricted to infants at high risk of allergy or may have an effect in low risk population s ; or whether it may have an effect on other allergic diseases including asthma
BACKGROUND Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotic given to infants for the prevention of allergy .
Increased activation of GATA-3, IL-2 and IL-5 of cord blood mononuclear cells in infants with IgE sensitization.
Risk of allergic diseases has been linked to abnormal patterns of fetal immune development , suggesting that priming of the immune system may occur in utero . The aim of the study was to investigate whether the pattern of immune response in cord blood mononuclear cells ( C BMC ) shows association with allergic diseases and IgE sensitization at 2 yr of age , and to study the effect of maternal probiotic supplementation on C BMC immune responses . C BMC were isolated from 98 neonates in a r and omized double-blinded intervention study . C BMC were stimulated with beta-lactoglobulin , and phytohemaglutinin ( PHA ) .  Secretion of interferon-gamma ( IFN-gamma ) , interleukin-5 ( IL-5 ) , and IL-13 was measured by an ELISA ; IL-2 , IL-4 , and IL-10 by a cytokine bead assay . T-cell polarization-associated IL-4 receptor and IL-12R expressions , and the respective transcription factors GATA-3 and T-bet were analyzed with RT-PCR . The above responses were compared with the development of allergic diseases and IgE sensitization at 2 yr of age , and with the maternal probiotic or placebo supplementation .  PHA-stimulated GATA-3 expression and IL-2 secretion in C BMC were higher in IgE-sensitized children at an age of 2 yr than in the non-sensitized , non-allergic children ( p = 0.03 and 0.026 ) . PHA-induced expression of GATA-3 correlated with IL-5 ( p = 0.003 , r = 0.300 ) and IL-13 ( p = 0.007 , r = 0.278 ) secretion of C BMC , and IL-5 secretion of beta-lactoglobulin-stimulated C BMC was higher in IgE-sensitized children at 2 yr of age than in the non-sensitized , non-allergic children ( p = 0.013 ) . Probiotic  bacteria had no effect on C BMC immune responses . In C BMC -enhanced induction of GATA-3 , which activates several Th2 cytokines genes , was a risk factor for IgE sensitization . The immune deviation towards Th2-type immunity developed already in utero and seemed to modulate the pattern of immune response favoring an IgE response to environmental antigens
No statistically significant subgroup differences were found according to infant risk of allergy or type of infant feed .
There is some evidence that a prebiotic supplement added to infant feeds may prevent eczema .
It is unclear whether the use of prebiotic should be restricted to infants at high risk of allergy or may have an effect in low risk population s ; or whether it may have an effect on other allergic diseases including asthma
BACKGROUND Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotic given to infants for the prevention of allergy .