Cumulative evidence suggests that food allergy (FA) is associated with a multitude of environmental factors including hygiene habits, antibiotic use, lifestyle changes and in particular, diet. Changes in nutrition can result in dysbiosis of the skin, gut and lung microbiota and generate changes in microbial metabolites produced, which may in turn produce epigenetic modifications. Current evidence supports the view that epigenetic mechanisms are involved in immune regulation and may represent a key-missing piece of the etiological puzzle for FA, at the interface between the environment and the genome. Dietary fibre can change the gut microbiota composition and therefore cause epigenome changes promoting health. Pectin is one type of dietary fibre that can exert immune regulation and mouse studies have shown its potential in preventing and even curing respiratory allergies.
DIFAMEM aims to investigate the effects of FA treatment through intervention with a prebiotic dietary component, pectin, and using peach allergy as a model.

This project will advance our understanding on how the interaction between dietary components and gut microbiota composition leads to epigenetic changes that provoke the immune modulation, and establish new strategies for dietary intervention in FA, with potential applications for other immune-related diseases.

1. The preparation of peach allergen extracts is optimized, and the experimental mouse allergy model is almost established. Initial data showed intraperitoneal senditization with peach extract rather than using the purified peach allergen and subsequent intragastric challenge with peach extract likely induces allergic symptoms.

2. We have developed and optimized the analytical methodologies for feces and serum samples. In feces, a methodology adapted from Zhao L, et al. 2017 encompassing compounds from the gut microbiota - host co-metabolism, such as fatty acids, amino acids, phenols and indoles, and short chain fatty acids, has been established. Also in feces, a methodology to obtain the profile of bile acids (primary, secondary and conjugates) and vitamine D metabolites has been developed. In serum a targeted methodology to quantify metabolites related to energy metabolism, lysophospolipid and sphingolipid metabolisms has been optimized.