Dietary melibiose regulates Th cell response and enhances the induction of oral tolerance

We examined how dietary melibiose affected the T-helper (Th) cell responses induced by an orally fed antigen in ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T cell receptor transgenic mice (OVA 23-3). Dietary melibiose markedly decreased the Th2 type responses as shown by a significant decrease in the interleukin (IL)-4 production and T cell proliferative response induced by sensitization from the 7-d oral administration of OVA. It was additionally observed that the Th1 type responses tended to decrease. We therefore examined the effect of melibiose feeding on the induction of immunological tolerance induced by the oral administration of an antigen (oral tolerance). The Th cell responses induced in BALB/c mice by subcutaneous immunization with OVA were suppressed by the prior oral administration of OVA. Such responses in the OVA-fed and immunized mice were further diminished by dietary melibiose. These results suggest that dietary melibiose strongly affected the Th cell responses to an ingested antigen, and further demonstrate the potential of melibiose to enhance the induction of oral tolerance.