Venter Carina, Boden Stina, Pickett-Nairne Kaci, O'Mahony Liam, Glime Gabrielle N E, Matzeller Kinzie L, Frank Daniel N, Kotter Cassandra, Kofonow Jennifer M, Robertson Charles E, Campbell Wayne W, Krebs Nancy F, Tang Minghua
Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy and Immunology, University of Colorado Anschutz, Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz, Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Nutrients. 2025 Aug 28;17(17):2795. doi: 10.3390/nu17172795.
The complementary feeding period is a critical window for shaping infant diet, gut microbiota, and immune development. While allergic symptoms often emerge in the first year of life, the effects of specific foods, such fruits, on infant allergy symptoms, inflammation, immunity and associated microbiota remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the impact of daily blueberry consumption during the complementary feeding period on allergy-related symptoms, immune biomarkers, and gut microbiota in breastfed U.S. infants. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, infants from the Denver metro area were assigned to receive up to 10 g/day of freeze-dried blueberry powder or an isocaloric placebo from 5 to 12 months of age. Stool, blood, and caregiver-reported allergy-related symptom data were collected at baseline and study end. Of the 76 infants enrolled, 61 completed the study (Blueberry: n = 30; Placebo: n = 31). While more infants in the blueberry group had allergy-related symptoms at baseline, they had significantly different longitudinal symptom trajectories than the placebo ( = 0.05), showing a greater resolution rate of symptoms by study end. Pro-inflammatory serum IL-13 levels were significantly reduced ( = 0.035) and anti-inflammatory IL-10 levels borderline increased ( = 0.052) in the blueberry group. However, changes in allergy symptoms were not significantly associated with IL-10 or IL-13. The relative abundances of , , and at 12 months were negatively correlated with IL-10, while , , and were positively associated. IL-13 was positively associated with and negatively associated with and . The consumptio9n of blueberries as an early complementary food may improve resolution of allergy symptoms, modulate immune biomarkers, and promote beneficial shifts in gut microbiota during infancy. Future research should aim to identify the specific bioactive components of blueberries responsible for these effects and explore the potential of other complementary foods to favorably influence developing biological systems involved in microbiota and immune development.
辅食添加期是塑造婴儿饮食、肠道微生物群和免疫发育的关键时期。虽然过敏症状通常在生命的第一年出现，但特定食物（如水果）对婴儿过敏症状、炎症、免疫及相关微生物群的影响仍不明确。本研究旨在评估美国母乳喂养婴儿在辅食添加期每日食用蓝莓对过敏相关症状、免疫生物标志物和肠道微生物群的影响。在一项双盲、随机、安慰剂对照试验中，丹佛市区的婴儿被分配从5至12月龄开始，每日接受最多10克的冻干蓝莓粉或等热量安慰剂。在基线和研究结束时收集粪便、血液以及照顾者报告的过敏相关症状数据。在76名入组婴儿中，61名完成了研究（蓝莓组：n = 30；安慰剂组：n = 31）。虽然蓝莓组更多婴儿在基线时有过敏相关症状，但他们的纵向症状轨迹与安慰剂组有显著差异（P = 0.05），到研究结束时症状缓解率更高。蓝莓组促炎血清白细胞介素-13水平显著降低（P = 0.035），抗炎白细胞介素-10水平临界升高（P = 0.052）。然而，过敏症状的变化与白细胞介素-10或白细胞介素-13无显著关联。12个月时某些菌属的相对丰度与白细胞介素-10呈负相关，而另一些菌属则呈正相关。白细胞介素-13与某些菌属呈正相关，与另一些菌属呈负相关。婴儿早期将蓝莓作为辅食食用可能改善过敏症状的缓解情况，调节免疫生物标志物，并促进婴儿期肠道微生物群向有益方向转变。未来的研究应旨在确定蓝莓中导致这些作用的特定生物活性成分，并探索其他辅食对参与微生物群和免疫发育的发育中生物系统产生有利影响的潜力。
