Intestinal Microbiota in Infants at High-risk for Allergy: Effects of Prebiotics and Role in Eczema Development

Publication date: Available online 1 September 2017
Source:Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Author(s): Harm Wopereis, Kathleen Sim, Alexander Shaw, John O. Warner, Jan Knol, J. Simon Kroll
BackgroundThe development of gut microbiota in infancy is important in the maturation of the immune system. Deviations in colonization patterns have been associated with allergic manifestations (e.g. eczema), but exact microbiome dysfunctions underlying allergies remain unclear. We studied the gut microbiota of 138 infants at increased risk of developing allergy, participating in a clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of a partially hydrolyzed protein formula supplemented with non-digestible oligosaccharides (pHF-OS) on the prevention of eczema.ObjectiveThe effects of the interventions and breastfeeding on fecal microbiota were investigated. Additionally, we aimed to identify microbial patterns associated with the onset of eczema.MethodsBacterial taxonomic compositions in the first 26 weeks of life were analyzed using 16S rRNA-gene sequencing. Additionally, fecal pH and microbial metabolites were measured.ResultsFecal microbial composition, metabolites and pH of infants receiving pHF-OS was closer to breastfed infants than to infants receiving standard cow's milk formula. Infants developing eczema by 18 months showed temporal differences that were marked by decreased relative abundances of Parabacteroides and Enterobacteriaceae at 4 weeks, and decreased relative abundances of lactate-utilizing bacteria producing butyrate at 26 weeks, namely Eubacterium and Anaerostipes spp., supported by increased lactate and decreased butyrate levels.ConclusionsWe showed that a pHF with specific prebiotics modulated the gut microbiota closer to that of breastfed infants. Additionally, we identified a potential link between the microbial activity and onset of eczema, which may reflect a suboptimal implementation of gut microbiota at specific developmental stages in infants at high-risk for allergy.

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Teaser

This study investigated the factors influencing the assembly of the intestinal microbiome and reveals links between the functionality of key microbial taxa in the gut and eczema development in infants at high-risk of developing allergy.


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