Neonatal gut colonization by Bifidobacterium is associated with higher childhood cytokine responses.

• The gut microbiota is a major stimulus for the immune system, and late acquisition of bacteria and/or reduced complexity of the gut flora may delay adaptive immune maturation. However, it is unknown how the gut bacterial colonization pattern in human infants is related to T cell activation during early childhood. We followed 65 Swedish children in the FARMFLORA cohort, from birth up to 3years of age. In fecal samples collected at several time points during the first year of life, the gut colonization pattern was investigated with the use of both 16S rRNA next generation sequencing (NGS) and culture-based techniques. This was related to production of IL-13, IL-5, IL-6, TNF, IL-1β and IFN-γ by PHA-stimulated fresh mononuclear cells and to proportions of CD4+ T cells that expressed CD45RO at 36months of age. Both NGS and culture-based techniques showed that colonization by Bifidobacterium at 1week of age associated with higher production of IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, TNF and IL-1β at 36months of age. By contrast, gut colonization by Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus or Clostridium in early infancy related inversely to induced IL-13, IL-5 and TNF at 3years of age. Infants with elder siblings produced more cytokines and had a larger fraction of CD45RO+ T cells compared to single children. However, controlling for these factors did not abolish the effect of colonization by Bifidobacterium on immune maturation. Thus, gut colonization in early infancy affects T cell maturation and Bifidobacterium may be especially prone to induce infantile immune maturation.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Mikrobiologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Microbiology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Immunologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Immunology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Gut microbiota. T cell activation

children

cytokine responses

next generation sequencing

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)