Therapeutic effects of isomaltodextrin in a BALB/c mouse model of egg allergy

Earlier studies reported that administration of prebiotics may prevent allergic inflammation, however, results remain controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of isomaltodextrin (IMD) against hen egg ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic response in mice. BALB/c mice were sensitized to OVA and subsequently administered different doses of IMD in drinking water. Our results showed that IMD supplementation led to significantly milder clinical signs and lower histamine levels in serum. Interestingly, administration of IMD did not affect serum OVA-specific IgE concentration, but led to lower total IgE titers, suggesting that the therapeutic effect of IMD may be due to immune tolerance to OVA allergen. Differences in the immune response was observed in the IMD intervention groups by lower production of IL-4. Our study suggests that the oral administration of IMD effectively attenuated OVA-induced allergic immune response in mice.