• MLP alleviated OVA induced food allergy in mice. • MLP regulated the intestinal flora in OVA allergic mice. • MLP regulated lipid metabolism in OVA allergic mice. This study aimed to investigate the effects of mulberry leaf polyphenols (MLP) on food allergy and to explore the underlying mechanisms. An ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy BALB/c mice model was established, and MLP were orally administered for intervention. The results indicated that MLP significantly reduced the levels of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and immunoglobulin G 1 (IgG 1 ) in OVA-allergic mice; besides, MLP significantly decreased the level of Th2 cytokine IL-4, and significantly increased the levels of Treg cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) and Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ); in addition, MLP effectively reduced the plasma histamine level and alleviated the clinical symptoms of allergic mice. Moreover, 16S rDNA sequencing analysis revealed that MLP improved the intestinal flora, specifically increased the ratio of Firmicutes / Bacteroidota , and enhanced the relative abundance of Limosilactobacillus, Ligilactobacillus, Enterorhabdus, Lactobacillus, Odoribacter and Turicibacter. Meanwhile, lipidomics analysis showed MLP significantly improved lipid metabolism disorder in OVA-allergic mice, increasing the levels of LPG (18:3), LPG (22:5) and LPG (22:6), while decreasing the levels of TG (56:2) NL-18:0 and PE (14:0-16:0). In conclusion, MLP effectively alleviated food allergy by regulating the intestinal microbiota and lipid metabolism in mice, providing a theoretical basis for using mulberry leaf polyphenols as functional components in preventing food allergy.
Jiang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.