Work

Assessing Gut Microbiome Alterations in Children With Allergic Rhinitis: Associations With Allergen-Specific IgE Levels and Sensitization Patterns

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: The relationship between gut microbiota composition and allergen exposure in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) remains insufficiently explored, particularly concerning variations in gut microbiota at different allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) levels and the distinction between monosensitization and polysensitization to allergens. Methods: We employed metagenomic shotgun sequencing to compare the fecal microbiota of 50 healthy controls (HC) to 88 children with AR induced by house dust mites (HDM-AR). We further examined differences in gut microbiota among HDM-AR subgroups with extremely high house dust mite-sIgE (EH-HDM), high HDM-sIgE (H-HDM), as well as between monosensitized (mono-HDM) and polysensitized (poly-HDM) individuals. Results: While no significant differences in overall gut microbiome diversity were observed between the HC and HDM-AR groups, a notable increase in the relative abundance of Streptococcus sanguinis within the genus was identified in children with AR. Further analysis revealed a significant enrichment of the Streptococcus genus in the EH-HDM group, particularly highlighting an increased relative abundance of the Streptococcus salivarius . Functional gene analysis via KEGG pathways indicated substantial enrichment in the salivary secretion pathway. Additionally, in comparisons among the HC, mono-HDM, and poly-HDM groups, Streptococcus salivarius emerged as the key differential species, showing a marked increase in the mono-HDM group. Conclusion: Our study suggests that specific bacterial strains, particularly Streptococcus salivarius , may be potential biomarkers for assessing varying degrees and patterns of HDM sensitization. These findings open the avenues for developing targeted interventions aimed at mitigating the pathophysiology of AR. Keywords: gut microbiome, allergic rhinitis, house dust mite, Streptococcus salivarius , allergen-specific IgE, sensitization patterns

Source: Journal of Asthma and Allergy

DOI: 10.2147/jaa.s496477

Authors: Junyang Li, Yanan Shi, Lanye Hu, Wenjun He, Youjin Li

Institutions: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Children's Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Gut microbiota and health

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,836