scholarly journals Joint effects of pregnancy, sociocultural, and environmental factors on early life gut microbiome structure and diversity

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert M. Levin ◽  
Alexandra R. Sitarik ◽  
Suzanne L. Havstad ◽  
Kei E. Fujimura ◽  
Ganesa Wegienka ◽  
...  
Author(s):  
Gerard E. Mullin

The gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria that play an essential role in human metabolism. Environmental factors play a role in the development of the gut microbiome. Hygiene, antibiotic usage, urbanization, mode of birth, breast-feeding, and family size influence the development of the gut microbiota in early life. Distortion in the gut microbial ecology has been linked to the pathophysiology of many diseases via disruption of the gut barrier lining, promoting local and systemic inflammation, and by the systemic dissemination of bacteria-derived byproducts, and other luminal antigens that set into motion a cascade of deleterious events. Manipulation of the gut flora through diet, prebiotics and probiotics, antibiotics, and fecal transplantation has the potential to influence digestive disease health outcomes.


Author(s):  
Jie Chen ◽  
Hongfei Li ◽  
Sarah M. Hird ◽  
Ming-Hui Chen ◽  
Wanli Xu ◽  
...  

Infant gut microbiota plays a vital role in immune response, mediates neurobehavioral development and health maintenance. Studies of twins’ gut microbiota found that gut microbiota composition and diversity tend to be mature and stable with increasing postnatal age (PNA). Preterm infant gut microbiome shifts dramatically when they were staying in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Compositions and shifting characteristics of gut microbiota among neonatal preterm twins and triplets during their early life are still unknown, which impedes a better understanding of the mechanism underpinning neurobehavioral development and precise intervention/health of preterm neonates. This longitudinal cohort study used a twins/triplets design to investigate the interaction of genetic (e.g., male vs. female) and environmental factors influencing the development of the gut microbiome in early life. We included 39 preterm infants, 12 were Female twins/triplets (Female T/T) including 3 twins pairs and 2 triplets, 12 were male twins (Male T) including 6 twins pairs, and 15 were mixed-sex twins/triplets (Mix T/T) including 6 twins pairs and 1 triplet (8 females and 7 males) during the first four weeks of NICU stay. Weekly gut microbiota patterns between females and males were compared by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe). Metagenomics function of gut microbiota was predicted by using Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt). Weekly function (KEGG pathways) differences between females and males were detected by using Statistical Analysis of Metagenomic Profiles (STAMP). Results found that female pairs and male pairs were significantly different in gut microbiome diversity, compositions, and predicted metabolic profiles, importantly, females and males were also significantly dissimilar within their co-twin/triplet pairs of the mixed-sex group, infants of co-twins/triplets shared more similar features than un-related infants from different twins’ pair. Future research developing personalized interventions for vulnerable high-risk infants should consider sex, and the interaction of sex and environmental factors.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1181
Author(s):  
Alessandro Maglione ◽  
Miriam Zuccalà ◽  
Martina Tosi ◽  
Marinella Clerico ◽  
Simona Rolla

As a complex disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS)’s etiology is determined by both genetic and environmental factors. In the last decade, the gut microbiome has emerged as an important environmental factor, but its interaction with host genetics is still unknown. In this review, we focus on these dual aspects of MS pathogenesis: we describe the current knowledge on genetic factors related to MS, based on genome-wide association studies, and then illustrate the interactions between the immune system, gut microbiome and central nervous system in MS, summarizing the evidence available from Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis mouse models and studies in patients. Finally, as the understanding of influence of host genetics on the gut microbiome composition in MS is in its infancy, we explore this issue based on the evidence currently available from other autoimmune diseases that share with MS the interplay of genetic with environmental factors (Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), and discuss avenues for future research.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Lebeaux ◽  
Modupe O. Coker ◽  
Erika F. Dade ◽  
Thomas J. Palys ◽  
Hilary G. Morrison ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Antibiotic resistance is an increasing threat to human health. The human gut microbiome harbors a collection of bacterial antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) known as the resistome. The factors associated with establishment of the resistome in early life are not well understood and clarifying these factors would inform strategies to decrease antibiotic resistance. We investigated the early-life exposures and taxonomic signatures associated with resistome development over the first year of life in a large, prospective cohort in the United States. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to profile both microbial composition and ARGs in stool samples collected at 6 weeks and 1 year of age from infants enrolled in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. Negative binomial regression and statistical modeling was used to examine infant factors such as sex, delivery mode, feeding method, gestational age, antibiotic exposure, and infant gut microbiome composition in relation to the diversity and relative abundance of ARGs.Results: Metagenomic sequencing was performed on paired samples from 195 full term (at least 37 weeks’ gestation) and 15 late preterm (33-36 weeks’ gestation) infants. 6-week samples compared to 1-year samples had 4.37 times (95% CI: 3.54-5.39) the rate of harboring ARGs. The majority of ARGs that were at a greater relative abundance at 6 weeks (chi-squared p < 0.01) worked through the mechanism of antibiotic efflux (i.e., by pumping antibiotics out of the cell). The overall relative abundance of the resistome was strongly correlated with Proteobacteria (Spearman correlation = 78.9%) and specifically E. coli (62.2%) relative abundance in the gut microbiome. Among infant characteristics, delivery mode was most strongly associated with the diversity and relative abundance of ARGs. Infants born via cesarean delivery had a higher risk of harboring unique ARGs [relative risk = 1.12 (95% CI: 0.97 – 1.29)] as well as a having an increased risk for overall ARG relative abundance [relative risk = 1.43 (95% CI: 1.12 – 1.84)] at 1 year compared to infants born vaginally. Additionally, 6 specific ARGs were at a greater relative abundance in infants delivered by cesarean section compared to vaginally delivered infants across both time points. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the developing infant gut resistome may be alterable by early-life exposures. Establishing the extent to which infant characteristics and early-life exposures impact the resistome can ultimately lead to interventions that decrease the transmission of ARGs and thus the possibility of antibiotic resistant life threatening infections.


2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 330
Author(s):  
Melisa Anggraeni ◽  
Ketut Dewi Kumara Wati ◽  
Ketut Tangking

Background Atopic dermatitis is the first manifestation ofallergic disease in early life. Early interventions may prevent thedevelopment of allergy disease. Allergy trace cards have beenused to identify the level of allergic risk, based on family atopyscores. Because environmental factors may also influence thedevelopment of atopic dermatitis, the usefulness of the allergytrace card needs to be reevaluated.Objective To compare the incidence of atopic dermatitis ininfants aged 0-4 months with total family atopy scores of > 0 tothose with scores of 0.Methods We conducted this cohort study from June 1, 2012 toDecember 31, 2012 at Sanglah Hospital, Denpasar. Family atopyscore was tabulated from all pregnant woman in the ObstetricOutpatient Clinic and the Maternity Room. Subjects were dividedinto two groups based on their total family atopy score: those withscores > 0 and those with scores of 0. The appearance of atopicdermatitis symptoms in the infants were evaluated until theyreached 4 months of age. The incidence of atopic dermatitis intwo groups was compared using Chi-square test.Results The incidence of atopic dermatitis in this study was 10.9%.The group with total family atopy scores of 0 had a significantlyhigher incidence of atopic dermatitis than the group with scores> 0 (adjusted RR 22.5; 95%CI 8.8 to 57.0; P = 0.001).Conclusion The incidence of atopic dermatitis is higher ininfants with total family atopy score > 0 and this group has a 22.5times higher risk of atopic dermatitis compared to infants withtotal family atopy score of 0. Allergy trace cards are relevant indifferentiating the risk of atopy with regards to development ofatopic dermatitis. We suggest that family atopy scores be evaluatedduring antenatal care in order to limit the development of atopicdermatitis in infants.


Author(s):  
Carmen Wing Han Chan ◽  
Judy Yuet Wa Chan ◽  
Ting Fan Leung ◽  
Kai Chow Choi ◽  
Stephen Kwok Wing Tsui ◽  
...  

Eczema is a multifactorial skin disease that affects 20% of children worldwide and has a complex relationship with microbial, nutritional, parental and environmental factors. In this study, we investigated the potential association of eczema with the gut microbiome and environmental factors. One hundred and fifty-two newborn subjects and their mothers were recruited within 10 days postnatally at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, China and asked to complete questionnaires on allergies, maternal diet and environmental assessment at enrolment. Then, the participants were classified as with or without eczema at four months after birth based on the Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire (CECAQ) and SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index (n = 48, with 24 in each group). Stool samples were collected from both groups at the same time. Microbial DNA was extracted from each stool sample, and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed to analyze the gut microbiome profiles of the subjects. Our results indicated that the abundance of Bifidobacterium was significantly higher in the eczema group than in the control group (p = 0.04). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted, and the results showed that the father’s education level and maternal intake of cereal products and nutritional supplements during pregnancy were associated with the development of eczema (p = 0.008, 0.032 and 0.015, respectively). In conclusion, this study provided preliminary information about the potential risk factors of eczema development in Hong Kong infants in support of a future full study.


Author(s):  
Petr Blabolil ◽  
Martin Čech ◽  
Tomáš Jůza ◽  
Jiří Peterka

Year to year fluctuations in 0+ fish cohort strength are a common phenomenon. Many factors can affect cohort strength during the fish's early life period. In this study, development of a 0+ pikeperch Sander lucioperca cohort in the pelagic zone was studied by trawling for 50 days from first larvae hatching, in two consecutive years. In 2007, an abundant S. lucioperca cohort collapsed suddenly soon after hatching. After the incident, slow-growing S. lucioperca prevailed in the catch. In 2008, the catch gradually increased during the whole study period because of prolonged hatching. Environmental factors differed mainly in a slower temperature increase, higher water level and higher zooplankton abundance in 2008 compared to 2007. Our study revealed that a strong 0+ S. lucioperca cohort at the time of hatching might not result in a strong S. lucioperca cohort in general.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document