Table 1.
Overview of immune effects of fermentable fibers in preclinical asthma studies.
| Cells and Mediators |
Specific Factor of Interest Increased in AAD | Effect Dietary Fiber Compared to Control Diet | Fiber Type and Dose | Asthma Model | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitization phase | |||||
| Dendritic cells | Activation (surface expression) | ↓ | - 30% pectin (in PK diet 3202) | HDM | [78] |
| Antibody response | Total IgE | ↓ | - 30% pectin (in PK diet 3202) | HDM | [78] |
| Allergen specific IgE | ↓ | - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |
| - 0.4%/kg/day pectin (i.g.) (KF chow) | OVA | [131] | |||
| Allergen specific IgG1 | ↓ | - 2.5% FOS | HDM | [133] | |
| Effector phase | |||||
| Total inflammatory cells BAL | ↓ | - 50 g/kg RAF, 50 g/kg GOS | OVA | [135] | |
| - 0.2 mL Bb/scFOS/lcFOS/AOS in PBS (i.g) | OVA | [136] | |||
| - 1% v/w GOS | HDM | [127] | |||
| - 1% w/w scFOS/lcFOS (1:1) + 2% w/w Bb | HDM | [129] | |||
| - 1% (w/w) scGOS/lcFOS (9:1), 1% (w/w) (83% scGOS/lcFOS + 17% AOS) | OVA | [134] | |||
| - 30% pectin (in PK diet 3202) | HDM | [78] | |||
| - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |||
| - 0.4%/kg/day pectin (i.g.) (KF chow) | OVA | [131] | |||
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| - 1 mg/kg SC-MN (i.n.) | OVA | [137] | |||
| - 1% and 2.5% GOS | HDM | [128] | |||
| Degranulating cells | Mast cells | #↓ | - 0.2 mL Bb/scFOS/lcFOS/AOS in PBS (i.g.) | OVA | [136] |
| - 2.5% GOS | HDM | [128] | |||
| Eosinophils | #↓ | - 50 g/kg RAF, 50 g/kg GOS | OVA | [135] | |
| - 1% v/w GOS | HDM | [127] | |||
| - 1% w/w scFOS/lcFOS (1:1) + 2% w/w Bb | HDM | [129] | |||
| - 30% pectin (in PK diet 3202) | HDM | [78] | |||
| - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |||
| - 0.4%/kg/day pectin (i.g.) (KF chow) | OVA | [131] | |||
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| - 1% and 2.5% GOS | HDM | [128] | |||
| - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |||
| - 2.5% FOS | HDM | [133] | |||
| %↓ | - 0.2 mL Bb/scFOS/lcFOS/AOS in PBS (i.g) | OVA | [136] | ||
| - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |||
| Macrophages | #↓ | - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| Neutrophils | %↑ | - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |
| T cells and related cells | All lymphocytes | #↓ | - 50 g/kg RAF, 50 g/kg GOS | OVA | [135] |
| - 1% w/w scFOS/lcFOS (1:1) + 2% w/w Bb | HDM | [129] | |||
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| Overall Th | #↓ | - 200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |
| Th2 | #↓ | - 400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |
| - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |||
| ILC2 | #↓ | - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |
| Th1 | #↓ | - 400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |
| Treg * | #↑ | - 0.2 mL Bb/scFOS/lcFOS/AOS in PBS (i.g.) | OVA | [136] | |
| Cytokines | IL-33 | ↓ | - 1% v/w GOS | HDM | [126] |
| IL-4 | ↓ | - 30% pectin (in PK diet 3202) | HDM | [78] | |
| - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |||
| - 0.4%/kg/day pectin (i.g.) (KF chow) | OVA | [131] | |||
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |||
| - 16.5 mg/kg BW LM-COS | OVA | [138] | |||
| IL-5 | ↓ | - 50 g/kg RAF | OVA | [135] | |
| - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |||
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| - 16.5 mg/kg BW LM-COS | OVA | [138] | |||
| IL-13 | ↓ | - 1% v/w GOS | HDM | [127] | |
| - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |||
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |||
| - 16.5 mg/kg BW LM-COS | OVA | [138] | |||
| IFN-y | ↑ | - 0.4%/kg/day pectin (i.g.) (KF chow) | OVA | [131] | |
| - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |||
| ↓ | - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | ||
| - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | |||
| IL-17 | ↑ | - 30% pectin | IL-33 | [112] | |
| ↓ | - 30% pectin (in PK diet 3202) | HDM | [78] | ||
| IL-10 | ↑ | - 0.2 mL Bb/scFOS/lcFOS/AOS in PBS (i.g.) | OVA | [136] | |
| - 0.4%/kg/day pectin (i.g.) (KF chow) | OVA | [131] | |||
| ↓ | - 72.7% HAMRS diet (SF11-025) | HDM | [117] | ||
| TNF-α | ↓ | - 0.2 mL Bb/scFOS/lcFOS/AOS in PBS (i.g.) | OVA | [136] | |
| - 50/200/400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] | |||
| - 16.5 mg/kg BW LM-COS | OVA | [138] | |||
| IL-1β | ↓ | - 0.2 mL Bb/scFOS/lcFOS/AOS in PBS (i.g.) | OVA | [136] | |
| - 400 mg/kg/day AO (in water) | OVA | [132] |
Studies were included when performed in rodents. Intervention was performed with an orally administered fermentable fiber and when features related to allergic asthma were measured. All fibers were added to an AIN-93 diet, unless indicated otherwise. Outcomes from ex vivo experiments are not included. Only significant results are depicted. ↓ indicates a decrease of a specific factor by increased fiber intake. ↑ indicates an increase of a specific factor by increased fiber intake. An arrow preceded by a # or % indicates either the number of cells or percentage of cells on total cells was investigated. Fibers mentioned in bold were administered after sensitization to the allergen (symptom control). Fibers administered before sensitization to the allergen are not in bold (preventive). For each study it is indicated whether a HDM, OVA, or IL-33 asthma model was used. * This factor is decreased in AAD, instead of increased, as mentioned in title. HDM, house dust mite; OVA, ovalbumin; IL, interleukin; AAD, allergic airway disease; PK, Provimi Kliba chow; IgE, immunoglobulin E; AO, alginate oligosaccharide; KF chow, KEAOXIELE FEED chow; i.g., intragastric; IgG1, immunoglobulin G1; FOS, fructo-oligosaccharide; BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage; RAF, raffinose; GOS, galacto-oligosaccharide; Bb, Bifidobacterium breve; scFOS, short-chain FOS; lcFOS, long-chain FOS; AOS, pectin-derived acidic oligosaccharides; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; HAMRS, high amylose maize resistant starch; SC-MN, Saccharomyces cerevisiae derived mannan; Th, T-helper cell; ILC2, type 2 innate lymphoid cell; Treg, regulatory T-cell; LM-COS, low-molecular weight chitosan oligosaccharides; IFN-γ, interferon γ; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor α.