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Maternal Breast Milk and Fecal Microbes Guide the Spatiotemporal Development of Mucosa-Associated Microbiota and Barrier Function in the Neonatal Gut
29 Pages Posted: 15 Jun 2019
More...Abstract
Background: The early-life microbiota exerts a profound impact on host health. However, most human gut microbiome studies are based on the analysis of fecal samples. Early development of mucosa-associated intestinal microbiota and its impact on gut function remain poorly understood.
Methods: Using piglets as a model for human infants, we assessed the origin and succession of mucosa-associated microbiota across the intestinal tract in the first 35 days after birth.
Findings: Although sharing a similar composition at birth, the mucosa-associated microbiome in the small intestine (jejunum and ileum) remained relatively stable, while those in the large intestine (cecum and colon) quickly expanded and diversified by day 35. Among the microbial sources from mother and the birth environment, maternal breast milk and fecal microbes were primarily responsible for initial colonization of the neonatal gut. Importantly, we revealed a strong correlation between the relative abundance of mucosa-associated microbes, particularly those transferred from mother, and the expression levels of multiple intestinal immune and barrier function genes in different segments of the intestinal tract.
Interpretation: This study represents a significant expansion from the current understanding on the source and development of the gut microbiota in early life that were based largely on the fecal analysis. It provided new insights into the role of maternal microbiota in the development of gut function in the offspring, laying an important foundation for improving neonatal health through manipulation of maternal microbiota.
Funding Statement: National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31420103908), and H2020 European Research Council (Feed-a-Gene, No. 633531).
Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethics Approval Statement: All animal procedures reported in this study were approved by the China Agricultural University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee under Protocol number CAU20161110-2.
Keywords: Mucosal microbiota; Spatiotemporal colonization; Early life; Maternal microbial transmission; Immunologic maturation; Microbiota-host interactions
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