Early-life colonization by aromatic-lactate-producing bifidobacteria lowers the risk of allergic sensitization

Pernille Neve Myers; Rasmus Kaae Dehli; Axel Mie; Janne Marie Moll; Henrik Munch Roager; Carsten Eriksen; Martin Frederik Laursen; Ellen Magdalena Staudinger; Ioanna Chatzigiannidou; Pi Laerke Johansen; Niels van Best; Martin O'hely; Daniel Andersen; Nadja Lund Norregaard; Mikael Pedersen; Eckard Hamelmann; Susanne Lau; Martin Iain Bahl; Maher Abou Hachem; Tine Rask Licht; Henrik Bjorn Nielsen; Anna Hammerich Thysen; Peter Vuillermin; John Penders; Karsten Kristiansen; Annika Scheynius; Johan Alm; Susanne Brix

doi:10.1038/s41564-025-02244-9

Early-life colonization by aromatic-lactate-producing bifidobacteria lowers the risk of allergic sensitization

Pernille Neve Myers, Rasmus Kaae Dehli, Axel Mie, Janne Marie Moll, Henrik Munch Roager, Carsten Eriksen, Martin Frederik Laursen, Ellen Magdalena Staudinger, Ioanna Chatzigiannidou, Pi Laerke Johansen, Niels van Best, Martin O'hely, Daniel Andersen, Nadja Lund Norregaard, Mikael Pedersen, Eckard Hamelmann, Susanne Lau, Martin Iain Bahl, Maher Abou Hachem, Tine Rask LichtHenrik Bjorn Nielsen, Anna Hammerich Thysen, Peter Vuillermin, John Penders, Karsten Kristiansen^*, Annika Scheynius^*, Johan Alm^*, Susanne Brix^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Early-life microbial exposures shape immune development and allergy risk. Food allergen sensitization, reflected by the presence of food allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), is an early indication of impaired immune tolerance. Here we show that early-life transmission of aromatic lactate-producing bifidobacteria strains in 147 children followed from birth to 5 years of age, facilitated by vaginal delivery, exposure to older siblings and exclusive breastfeeding for the first 2 months, led to increased levels of aromatic lactates in the infant gut. This microbiota-metabolite signature was inversely associated with the development of food allergen-specific IgE until 5 years and atopic dermatitis at 2 years. The observed effect was mediated by 4-hydroxy-phenyllactate, which inhibited IgE, but not IgG, production in ex vivo human immune cell cultures. Together, these findings define an early-life microbiota-metabolite-immune axis linking microbial transmission and feeding practices with reduced allergic sensitization.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Microbiology
Volume	11
Pages (from-to)	429-441
ISSN	2058-5276
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02244-9
Publication status	Published - 2026

Keywords

Gut microbiome
Hay-fever
1st year
Children
Delivery
Asthma
Mode
Childhood
Exposure
Infancy

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10.1038/s41564-025-02244-9

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Cite this

Myers, P. N., Dehli, R. K., Mie, A., Moll, J. M., Roager, H. M., Eriksen, C., Laursen, M. F., Staudinger, E. M., Chatzigiannidou, I., Johansen, P. L., van Best, N., O'hely, M., Andersen, D., Norregaard, N. L., Pedersen, M., Hamelmann, E., Lau, S., Bahl, M. I., Abou Hachem, M., ... Brix, S. (2026). Early-life colonization by aromatic-lactate-producing bifidobacteria lowers the risk of allergic sensitization. Nature Microbiology, 11, 429-441. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02244-9

Myers, PN, Dehli, RK, Mie, A, Moll, JM, Roager, HM, Eriksen, C, Laursen, MF, Staudinger, EM, Chatzigiannidou, I, Johansen, PL, van Best, N, O'hely, M, Andersen, D, Norregaard, NL, Pedersen, M, Hamelmann, E, Lau, S, Bahl, MI, Abou Hachem, M, Licht, TR, Nielsen, HB, Thysen, AH, Vuillermin, P, Penders, J, Kristiansen, K, Scheynius, A, Alm, J & Brix, S 2026, 'Early-life colonization by aromatic-lactate-producing bifidobacteria lowers the risk of allergic sensitization', Nature Microbiology, vol. 11, pp. 429-441. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02244-9

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abstract = "Early-life microbial exposures shape immune development and allergy risk. Food allergen sensitization, reflected by the presence of food allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), is an early indication of impaired immune tolerance. Here we show that early-life transmission of aromatic lactate-producing bifidobacteria strains in 147 children followed from birth to 5 years of age, facilitated by vaginal delivery, exposure to older siblings and exclusive breastfeeding for the first 2 months, led to increased levels of aromatic lactates in the infant gut. This microbiota-metabolite signature was inversely associated with the development of food allergen-specific IgE until 5 years and atopic dermatitis at 2 years. The observed effect was mediated by 4-hydroxy-phenyllactate, which inhibited IgE, but not IgG, production in ex vivo human immune cell cultures. Together, these findings define an early-life microbiota-metabolite-immune axis linking microbial transmission and feeding practices with reduced allergic sensitization.",

keywords = "Gut microbiome, Hay-fever, 1st year, Children, Delivery, Asthma, Mode, Childhood, Exposure, Infancy",

author = "Myers, {Pernille Neve} and Dehli, {Rasmus Kaae} and Axel Mie and Moll, {Janne Marie} and Roager, {Henrik Munch} and Carsten Eriksen and Laursen, {Martin Frederik} and Staudinger, {Ellen Magdalena} and Ioanna Chatzigiannidou and Johansen, {Pi Laerke} and {van Best}, Niels and Martin O'hely and Daniel Andersen and Norregaard, {Nadja Lund} and Mikael Pedersen and Eckard Hamelmann and Susanne Lau and Bahl, {Martin Iain} and {Abou Hachem}, Maher and Licht, {Tine Rask} and Nielsen, {Henrik Bjorn} and Thysen, {Anna Hammerich} and Peter Vuillermin and John Penders and Karsten Kristiansen and Annika Scheynius and Johan Alm and Susanne Brix",

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AU - Myers, Pernille Neve

AU - Dehli, Rasmus Kaae

AU - Mie, Axel

AU - Moll, Janne Marie

AU - Roager, Henrik Munch

AU - Eriksen, Carsten

AU - Laursen, Martin Frederik

AU - Staudinger, Ellen Magdalena

AU - Chatzigiannidou, Ioanna

AU - Johansen, Pi Laerke

AU - van Best, Niels

AU - O'hely, Martin

AU - Andersen, Daniel

AU - Norregaard, Nadja Lund

AU - Pedersen, Mikael

AU - Hamelmann, Eckard

AU - Lau, Susanne

AU - Bahl, Martin Iain

AU - Abou Hachem, Maher

AU - Licht, Tine Rask

AU - Nielsen, Henrik Bjorn

AU - Thysen, Anna Hammerich

AU - Vuillermin, Peter

AU - Penders, John

AU - Kristiansen, Karsten

AU - Scheynius, Annika

AU - Alm, Johan

AU - Brix, Susanne

PY - 2026

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N2 - Early-life microbial exposures shape immune development and allergy risk. Food allergen sensitization, reflected by the presence of food allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), is an early indication of impaired immune tolerance. Here we show that early-life transmission of aromatic lactate-producing bifidobacteria strains in 147 children followed from birth to 5 years of age, facilitated by vaginal delivery, exposure to older siblings and exclusive breastfeeding for the first 2 months, led to increased levels of aromatic lactates in the infant gut. This microbiota-metabolite signature was inversely associated with the development of food allergen-specific IgE until 5 years and atopic dermatitis at 2 years. The observed effect was mediated by 4-hydroxy-phenyllactate, which inhibited IgE, but not IgG, production in ex vivo human immune cell cultures. Together, these findings define an early-life microbiota-metabolite-immune axis linking microbial transmission and feeding practices with reduced allergic sensitization.

AB - Early-life microbial exposures shape immune development and allergy risk. Food allergen sensitization, reflected by the presence of food allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), is an early indication of impaired immune tolerance. Here we show that early-life transmission of aromatic lactate-producing bifidobacteria strains in 147 children followed from birth to 5 years of age, facilitated by vaginal delivery, exposure to older siblings and exclusive breastfeeding for the first 2 months, led to increased levels of aromatic lactates in the infant gut. This microbiota-metabolite signature was inversely associated with the development of food allergen-specific IgE until 5 years and atopic dermatitis at 2 years. The observed effect was mediated by 4-hydroxy-phenyllactate, which inhibited IgE, but not IgG, production in ex vivo human immune cell cultures. Together, these findings define an early-life microbiota-metabolite-immune axis linking microbial transmission and feeding practices with reduced allergic sensitization.

KW - Gut microbiome

KW - Hay-fever

KW - 1st year

KW - Children

KW - Delivery

KW - Asthma

KW - Mode

KW - Childhood

KW - Exposure

KW - Infancy

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DO - 10.1038/s41564-025-02244-9

M3 - Journal article

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SN - 2058-5276

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SP - 429

EP - 441

JO - Nature Microbiology

JF - Nature Microbiology

ER -