Fig. 1
From: The gut microbiota, environmental factors, and links to the development of food allergy
Early-life colonization and environmental factors. The gut microbiota is unstable in the first 2–3 years of life during the initial colonization and development of the gut. During this period, the gut microbiota is vulnerable to some disruptions such as mode of delivery, antibiotic intake, diet and synthetic chemicals, which may increase specific IgE, induce pro-inflammatory cytokines, reduce anti-inflammatory cytokines, inhibit the accumulation of Treg cells, and suppress the tolerogenic CD103+ DC (dendritic cell) functions, contributing to the pathogenesis of food allergy. After the age of 3 the gut microbiota progresses towards an adult-like configuration and this remains the same throughout the life