Effect of Intestinal Microbiota on the Immune System Clinical Trials

Effect of Intestinal Microbiota on the Immune System Clinical Trials 

There is increasing evidence that the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the intestinal epithelial and immune cells plays a key role in the postnatal development of the immune system. First studies with probiotics (74) and synbio-tics (40) demonstrate effects during infancy, and studies regarding the vaccination response in the elderly (75) indicate that the prebiotics might also influence the immune system. In particular, the animal experiments with prebiotics described above allow the hypothesis that prebiotics that are able to influence the composition of the entire intestinal microbiota toward microbiota found in breastfed infants might support the development of the immune system during infancy. 

Clinical studies designed to prove this hypothesis should be focused on clinical outcome (incidence of infectious and allergic symptoms) and biomarkers representing the status of the immune system. 

Based on the data derived from preclinical experiments with the mixture of GOS/lcFOS, a preventive study in term infants at risk for atopy was performed (51). 

If the mother decided to start bottlefeeding, the infant was randomly assigned to one of two hydrolyzed protein formula groups (plus 0.8 g/100 ml pre-biotics or maltodextrine as placebo). 

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