Work package 3.1 and 3.2

Hypothesis: Early anti- and probiotics induce lasting effects on immunity and organ development in mice

Anti- and probiotics  to stimulate long-term immune, gut and brain maturation in mice

Mouse studies have been pivotal to demonstrate the links between early diet and microbiota and later immunity, gut and brain function (2,4,10,22,28). We use mice to better investigate whether early diet and microbiota interventions have long term effects on immunity, gut and brain.

Methods

Newborn mice are treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics (WP3.1), probiotics with or without milk bioactives. The nature of the interventions is aimed to be similar to those used in short term studies in pigs (WP2.1/2.2/2.4). Indices of immune maturation, the gut microbiota and brain function are followed until adulthood at 3 months of life. Resistance to viral infection and/or response to vaccination are used to test immunity.

Results

Response to infections and vaccination, coupled with analyses of the gut microbiota, immunology and gene array analyses of tissue samples from immune-related organs (gut, spleen, liver) will document the pathways by which early anti- and probiotics intervention induce long term immunity effects. 

Synopses

 

Publications

NEOMUNE-related publications and background litterature.