Impact of soymilk consumption on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity and gut microbiota in mice

Abstract

Soymilk is rich in phytochemicals such as soy isoflavones (SIs) and soyasaponins (SSs). Dietary SIs and SSs display inhibitory effects on contact hypersensitivity (CHS), which was reported in a mouse model for allergic contact dermatitis (ACD); however, the beneficial effects of soymilk consumption on CHS remain unknown. Here, we studied the effects of drinking soymilk on CHS and gut microbiota. Soymilk consumption attenuated ear oedema and swelling, decreased the infiltration of Gr-1-positive cells into ear tissues, and reduced the production of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in ear tissues. The analysis of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences indicated that CHS caused changes in the gut microbiota structure and that consuming soymilk reduced these changes. These results suggest that soymilk consumption may be of therapeutic value for patients with ACD and may help control the balance of intestinal microbiota.

Keywords:

• Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2
• contact hypersensitivity
• gut microbiota
• soymilk
• triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1

Acknowledgements

We thank Ms. Minami Kishimoto and Ms. Azusa Shiwaku at Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare for technical assistance. We would like to thank Editage (www.editage.jp) for English language editing.

Disclosure statement

MK and KT are employees of Fuji Oil. TN declares no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI [grant number 16K00835].