Milk exosomes attenuate OVA-induced food allergy by regulating the Th1/Th2 balance and remodeling the gut microbiota

Abstract

To address the rising incidence of food allergy (FA), there is an urgent need to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies. This study represents the first investigation into the immunomodulatory effects of milk-derived exosomes (M-Exo) in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced FA mouse model. Results showed that M-Exo ameliorated allergy-induced hypothermia and reduced serum levels of IgE, IgG, IgG1, and mast cell protease-1 (MCPT-1). Concurrently, M-Exo intervention downregulated key Th2 cytokine expression and diminished Th2 and Th17 cell counts. At the intestinal level, M-Exo mitigated jejunal tissue damage and mast cell infiltration while upregulating tight junction protein mRNA expression. Furthermore, M-Exo modulated the gut microbiota composition, enhancing α and β diversity and increasing the relative abundance of the phylum Firmicutes and the genus Lactobacillus. This study provides theoretical support for the prevention and treatment of FA, as well as the potential application of M-Exo.