Multi-omics analysis reveals the alleviating effects of Bifidobacterium infantis M-16V on food allergy through modulation of gut microbiota, metabolome, and gene expression in mice and infants

Background Food allergy (FA) has become a growing public health issue globally, with a steady increase in prevalence over recent decades. Despite this, effective treatment strategies remain elusive. Modulating the composition and function of gut microbiota through probiotic intervention has gained attention as a promising strategy for the prevention and management of FA. Results M-16V alleviated infants’ clinical symptoms such as crying, reflux, and abnormal stool patterns, which were accompanied by improvements in biochemical parameters. M-16V significantly attenuated mice OVA-induced allergic responses, suppressed the production of OVA-sIgE and OVA-sIgG1, elevated OVA-sIgA levels, and downregulated the expression of allergy-related mRNA. In both mice and infants, microbial metabolic pathways were pivotal in modulating immune cell function. Notably, M-16V enhanced the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota. Conclusion Our results highlight the therapeutic efficacy of M-16V in mitigating FA and provide valuable insights for developing of novel microbiota-targeted interventions aimed at the prevention and treatment of FA.