Age-specific Metabolomic profiles in children with food allergy

• Published in: Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2024-04, Vol.261, p.109928-109928, Article 109928
• Main Authors: Crestani, E., Benamar, M., Phipatanakul, W., Rachid, R., Chatila, T.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Allergens; Animals; Bile acids; Cattle; Child; Child, Preschool; Eczema; Female; Food allergy; Food Hypersensitivity; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Metabolomics; Polyamines; PUFAs
• ISSN: 1521-6616; 1521-7035
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.109928

Food allergy (FA) in young children is often associated with eczema, frequently directed to egg/cow milk allergens and has a higher chance of resolution, while FA that persists in older children has less chance of resolution and is less clearly associated with atopy. Children with FA (n = 62) and healthy controls (n = 28) were categorized into “younger” (≤5 years) and “older” (>5 years). Mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomic profiling as wells as cytokine profiling were performed on plasma samples in FA children in each age group. Younger FA children manifested unique alterations in bile acids, polyamine metabolites and chemokines associated with Th2 responses, while older FA children displayed pronounced changes in long chain fatty acids, acylcarnitines and proinflammatory cytokines. FA children of different ages manifest unique metabolic changes which may reflect at least in part pathogenic mechanisms and environmental influences operative at different time points in the disease course. •Distinct metabolomic profiles characterize recently established food allergy as compared to persistent food allergy.•Food allergy in young children is associated with marked alteration of microbiome-related metabolites, including polyamines.•Food allergy in older children is associated with marked alteration of lipid mediators, including PUFAs and acyl carnitines.•Polyamines are uniquely altered in early stages of food allergy and represent novel candidate food allergy biomarkers.