Daidzein Confers Prophylactic Protection against Food Allergy by Restoring Immune Regulation, Intestinal Barrier Integrity, and Microbiota-Metabolite Homeostasis.

Daidzein pretreatment attenuated allergic manifestations and mast-cell activation in an OVA-induced murine food allergy model.

• The study used an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine food allergy model with daidzein administered as a pretreatment (prophylactic context).
• Allergic manifestations were reduced following daidzein pretreatment.
• Mast-cell activation was specifically attenuated by daidzein pretreatment.
• The effects were investigated through integration of immunological, histological, and microbiota-metabolite analyses.

Daidzein shifted the immune profile toward a T-helper 1 (Th1)-biased response, reducing Th2- and Th17-associated cytokines.

• Daidzein pretreatment shifted immune responses toward a Th1-biased profile.
• Th2-associated cytokines were effectively reduced by daidzein treatment.
• Th17-associated cytokines were also reduced by daidzein treatment.
• This immune modulation represents a restoration of immune regulation disrupted in food allergy.

Daidzein strengthened intestinal barrier integrity by upregulating the expression of tight junction proteins Claudin-1 and ZO-1.

• Upregulation of Claudin-1 expression was observed following daidzein pretreatment.
• Upregulation of ZO-1 expression was observed following daidzein pretreatment.
• Both Claudin-1 and ZO-1 are tight junction proteins critical for intestinal barrier function.
• Histological analyses were used to assess intestinal barrier integrity.

Daidzein remodeled the gut microbial community by enriching butyrate-producing genera, particularly Roseburia.

• Daidzein pretreatment enriched butyrate-producing genera in the gut microbial community.
• Roseburia was specifically identified as an enriched butyrate-producing genus following daidzein treatment.
• The enrichment of butyrate-producing genera was positively associated with elevated fecal butyrate levels.
• Gut microbiota dysbiosis is a characteristic feature of food allergy that daidzein helped to remodel.

Food allergy is characterized by impaired immune tolerance, intestinal barrier disruption, and gut microbiota dysbiosis, and daidzein simultaneously modulated these interconnected alterations.

• The study investigated whether dietary bioactive compounds such as daidzein can simultaneously modulate immune-barrier-microbiota alterations in a preventive context.
• Prior to this study, whether daidzein could simultaneously address these interconnected immune-barrier-microbiota alterations in a preventive context remained poorly understood.
• The coordinated effects spanned Th-cell-mediated immunity, epithelial barrier function, and microbiota-metabolite profiles.
• Daidzein is described as a dietary bioactive compound evaluated for prophylactic (preventive) protection against food allergy.