Review
Microbiology
Adam Wilson, Brett Bogie, Hala Chaaban, Kathryn Burge
Summary: The intestinal microbiome is implicated in NEC pathogenesis, but research has mainly focused on bacteria and ignored other microorganisms such as fungi and viruses. The role of fungi and viruses in preterm intestinal development and NEC pathogenesis is not well understood. Host and environmental factors, interkingdom interactions, and human milk also influence the abundance, diversity, and function of fungal and viral microbes in the preterm intestinal ecosystem.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Yan Hui, Birgitte Smith, Martin Steen Mortensen, Lukasz Krych, Soren J. Sorensen, Gorm Greisen, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, Dennis Sandris Nielsen
Summary: The study found that probiotic supplementation in preterm neonates affected gut colonization by certain bacteria, but did not change the overall longitudinal bacterial progression during the neonatal period.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alain Cuna, Michael J. Morowitz, Ishfaq Ahmed, Shahid Umar, Venkatesh Sampath
Summary: Advances in metagenomics have enabled detailed study of the gut microbiome and its impact on human health. Preterm infants have a fragile gut microbial ecosystem that is linked to life-threatening diseases. Alterations in the developing gut microbiome in preterm infants may impact future health risks such as asthma, allergies, and obesity.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-GASTROINTESTINAL AND LIVER PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Florencia Velez-Cortes, Harris Wang
Summary: Bacterially secreted proteins are crucial for the functioning of bacterial cells and communities. In this study, a computational pipeline was used to predict and analyze the bacterial metasecretome of the human gut, revealing the presence of diverse families of secreted carbohydrate-active enzymes and their distribution across taxonomic groups. By mapping secreted proteins to metagenomic data from endoscopic sampling of the human gastrointestinal tract, specific regions were identified where resident microbes secrete glycosidases. The comprehensive analysis of the metasecretome provides valuable insights for microbiome research and understanding the impact of gut bacteria on human health.
Review
Pediatrics
Ali Ahmed Raba, Anne O'Sullivan, Jan Miletin
Summary: NEC is a devastating condition predominantly seen in preterm infants, with antibiotic exposure potentially reducing the biodiversity of intestinal microbiota and predisposing preterm infants to NEC. Prolonged antibiotic therapy has been suggested as a risk factor for the development of NEC in preterm infants.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Ching-Min Chang, Ming-Horng Tsai, Wei-Chao Liao, Peng-Hong Yang, Shiao-Wen Li, Shih-Ming Chu, Hsuan-Rong Huang, Ming-Chou Chiang, Jen-Fu Hsu
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of probiotics on the gut microbiota of extremely preterm infants. The results showed that probiotics increased the abundance of Lactobacillus and reduced the duration of total parenteral nutrition. The probiotic group also had a lower rate of late-onset sepsis.
Article
Pediatrics
Giorgio Casaburi, Jingjing Wei, Sufyan Kazi, Junlin Liu, Kewei Wang, Guo-Zhong Tao, Po-Yu Lin, James C. Y. Dunn, Bethany M. Henrick, Steven A. Frese, Karl G. Sylvester
Summary: This study reveals a novel molecular mechanism of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) through the microbial production of formate. The concentration of formate was found to be elevated in NEC patients and correlated with the degree of intestinal injury. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that formate caused enterocyte cytotoxicity and NEC-like injury. The bacteria Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae were identified as the most discriminatory taxa associated with NEC dysbiosis and increased formate production. This research highlights the importance of targeting metabolic pathways associated with newborn gut dysbiosis to prevent NEC.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Karishma Rao, Alain Cuna, Susana Chavez-Bueno, Heather Menden, Wei Yu, Ishfaq Ahmed, Pugazhendhi Srinivasan, Shahid Umar, Venkatesh Sampath
Summary: The study demonstrates that different preterm formulas have varying effects on intestinal inflammation, apoptosis, and microbiome composition in developing infants. Formula feeding with EleCare and Similac Special Care resulted in greater intestinal injury compared to NeoSure, but pre-treatment with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG alleviated the severity of the damage.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Jacob A. F. Westaway, Roger Huerlimann, Yoga Kandasamy, Catherine M. Miller, Robert Norton, David Watson, Sandra Infante-Vilamil, Donna Rudd
Summary: Probiotic prophylaxis can reduce the risk of acute diseases in preterm infants by modulating the gut microbiome. However, the effects of probiotic species and modulation do not seem to persist beyond discharge.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hannah E. Laue, Yuka Moroishi, Thomas J. Palys, Brian P. Jackson, Juliette C. Madan, Margaret R. Karagas
Summary: Gut bacteria are associated with the impact of environmental exposures on human systems. The study found a correlation between arsenic-metabolizing bacteria in the infant gut microbiome and urinary arsenic excretion. Some arsenic-related gene pathways were associated with arsenic exposure and speciation, with stronger associations observed in infants delivered by caesarean section.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Michele Zuppi, Heather L. Hendrickson, Justin M. O'Sullivan, Tommi Vatanen
Summary: Phages are viruses that infect bacteria and are widely found in various environments. They are abundant in the human gut and may play an important role in modulating the gut ecosystem. Although the extent of their influence on the gut ecosystem is not fully understood, there is increasing evidence supporting their significance in the gut microbiome.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yan-Nan Jiang, Yong-Xin Ye, Per Torp Sangild, Thomas Thymann, Soren Balling Engelsen, Bekzod Khakimov, Ping-Ping Jiang
Summary: Severe NEC lesions, rather than antibiotic treatment, were found to be the main driver for changes in plasma metabolites. However, antibiotics did have a direct impact on a few metabolites in preterm pigs with NEC.
Article
Immunology
Robert Thanert, Eric C. Keen, Gautam Dantas, Barbara B. Warner, Phillip Tarr
Summary: Decades of research have yet to fully understand the pathophysiology of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a severe pediatric gastrointestinal disorder. Evidence suggests that host-microbiota interactions play a crucial role in NEC development. Greater understanding of the preterm infant microbiome could lead to enhanced diagnostics, treatments, and preventive measures for NEC.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eric Banan-Mwine Daliri, Fred Kwame Ofosu, Ramachandran Chelliah, Byong H. Lee, Deog-Hwan Oh
Summary: The application of multi-omic technologies in gut microbiome studies has unveiled the comprehensive interaction between commensals in health and disease. However, challenges remain in identifying the origin and function of certain proteins and metabolites in gut samples, which may be overcome by combining different omics techniques. Future perspectives in this area include overcoming challenges and advancing our understanding of the gut microbiome through the integration of various omic approaches.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Joonatan Palmu, Christin S. Boerschel, Alfredo Ortega-Alonso, Lajos Marko, Michael Inouye, Pekka Jousilahti, Rodolfo A. Salido, Karenina Sanders, Caitriona Brennan, Gregory C. Humphrey, Jon G. Sanders, Friederike Gutmann, Dominik Linz, Veikko Salomaa, Aki S. Havulinna, Sofia K. Forslund, Rob Knight, Leo Lahti, Teemu Niiranen, Renate B. Schnabel
Summary: This study found that the gut microbiome composition is associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Certain microbial genera were found to be related to the occurrence and prediction of AF. These findings establish the basis for using microbiome profiling in predicting AF risk, but further research is needed before microbiome sequencing can be used in prevention and targeted treatment of AF.
Review
Pediatrics
Victoria L. Renwick, Christopher J. Stewart
Summary: Metabolomics in preterm infants, particularly focusing on NEC and LOS, is a relatively new field with promising potential for identifying novel biomarkers and understanding disease processes. Studies have shown significant changes in metabolite profiles post-partum and throughout the first year of life, with associations between metabolites in serum, urine, and stool in health and disease. Further research is needed to identify specific metabolites associated with disease and the impact of microbially produced metabolites on immunoregulation in infants.
Review
Pediatrics
Konstantinos Gerasimidis, Konstantinos Gkikas, Christopher Stewart, Esther Neelis, Vaios Svolos
Summary: This review examines the role of the gut microbiome in pediatric gut diseases and finds limited implications for unraveling disease pathogenesis or guiding clinical practice. In the future, the gut microbiome may be used for disease differential diagnosis and prediction of clinical outcomes, as well as a target for therapeutic interventions.
ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD
(2022)
Review
Physiology
Sinead Ahearn-Ford, Janet E. Berrington, Christopher J. Stewart
Summary: This review focuses on the importance of the early life gut microbiome, particularly in preterm infants and microbially related diseases. It evaluates current techniques used to study the preterm gut microbiome and discusses the potential of recent methodological advancements.
EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Andrea C. Masi, Tatiana Y. Fofanova, Christopher A. Lamb, Jennifer M. Auchtung, Robert A. Britton, Mary K. Estes, Sasirekha Ramani, Simon J. Cockell, Jonathan Coxhead, Nicholas D. Embleton, Janet E. Berrington, Joseph F. Petrosino, Christopher J. Stewart
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Jose Lugo-Martinez, Siwei Xu, Justine Levesque, Daniel Gallagher, Leslie A. Parker, Josef Neu, Christopher J. Stewart, Janet E. Berrington, Nicholas D. Embleton, Gregory Young, Katherine E. Gregory, Misty Good, Arti Tandon, David Genetti, Tracy Warren, Ziv Bar-Joseph
Summary: Preterm birth is a global issue affecting more than 10% of all births. Growth Faltering (GF) is a common problem among preterm infants, and despite various interventions, it remains unsolved. To improve early prediction of GF risk, researchers collected a comprehensive dataset from multiple sites and used machine learning and graphical models. The integration of clinical and microbiome data improved GF prediction and identified interventions that can enhance outcomes.
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Claire L. Granger, Christopher A. Lamb, Nicholas D. Embleton, Lauren C. Beck, Andrea C. Masi, Jeremy M. Palmer, Christopher J. Stewart, Janet E. Berrington
Summary: The study found that total IgA and secretory IgA in preterm mothers' milk were highest in colostrum, decreasing over 3 weeks with minimal impact from gestation. IgA was detected in infant stool in the first week for breast milk-fed infants, while formula-fed infants did not show detectable levels until the third week. Handling processes halved IgA levels available to infants.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Correction
Microbiology
Christopher J. Stewart
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Rachel Kimble, Phebee Gouinguenet, Ammar Ashor, Christopher Stewart, Kevin Deighton, Jamie Matu, Alex Griffiths, Fiona C. Malcomson, Abraham Joel, David Houghton, Emma Stevenson, Anne Marie Minihane, Mario Siervo, Oliver M. Shannon, John C. Mathers
Summary: This review examines the impact of the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MedDiet) on gut microbiota composition and metabolites. The overall evidence from randomized controlled trials and observational studies does not provide clear support for a consistent effect of the MedDiet on the composition or metabolism of the gut microbiota. The diverse methods used in the studies, cohort characteristics, and variable study quality may contribute to these findings. Further well-designed studies are needed to enhance understanding of the potential effects of the MedDiet on gut microbiota.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Lauren C. Beck, Andrea C. Masi, Gregory R. Young, Tommi Vatanen, Christopher A. Lamb, Rachel Smith, Jonathan Coxhead, Alana Butler, Benjamin J. Marsland, Nicholas D. Embleton, Janet E. Berrington, Christopher J. Stewart
Summary: The present study analyzes the gut microbiome development in very preterm infants and identifies the factors that influence it, including mother's milk, breast milk fortifier, antibiotics, and probiotics. Probiotics play a significant role in shaping the gut microbiome, with strain-specific effects. This study highlights the importance of probiotic products in the development of the preterm gut microbiome.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Greg Young, Janet E. Berrington, Stephen Cummings, Jon Dorling, Andrew K. Ewer, Alessandra Frau, Lauren Lett, Chris Probert, Ed Juszczak, John Kirby, Lauren C. Beck, Victoria L. Renwick, Christopher Lamb, Clare Lanyon, William McGuire, Christopher Stewart, Nicholas Embleton
Summary: This study investigated the impact of supplemental bovine lactoferrin on the gut microbiome and metabolome of preterm infants. The results showed minimal impacts of lactoferrin on the microbiome composition, while hospital site and postnatal age had a larger impact. This study provides guidance for future trial design.
ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD-FETAL AND NEONATAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Liangkui Li, David Houghton, Georg Lietz, Anthony Watson, Christopher J. Stewart, Wendy Bal, Chris J. Seal
Summary: This study examined the impact of daily quinoa consumption on the gut microbiome and found that substituting 20g of refined wheat flour with whole-grain quinoa flour did not significantly modulate the gut microbiome. Further studies with higher levels of quinoa or longer exposure periods are needed to determine the dose-response effect and potential clinical outcomes.
Article
Microbiology
Christopher J. Stewart
Summary: The past decade has seen a significant increase in research on the human microbiome and its correlation with disease risk. The use of sequencing technology has replaced gel-based fingerprinting methods for studying microbial ecology, while traditional microbiological culture is experiencing a revival. This review focuses on the bacterial community in early life, particularly in term infants and prematurely born infants, and highlights the impact of human milk oligo-saccharides (HMOs) on the infant microbiome and the growth of Bifidobacterium spp. These findings have important implications for preterm infants at risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, a leading cause of mortality and long-term morbidity in this population.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jonathan A. Chapman, Christopher J. Stewart
Summary: The gut microbiome in neonates has a significant impact on their healthy development and future health. Studying the development of the neonatal gut microbiome and its interaction with the host is crucial, but researchers face specific challenges that may introduce biases and affect the relevance and reproducibility of findings. This review identifies these challenges and provides current and future solutions to assist researchers in study design.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nicholas D. Embleton, Thomas Sproat, Sabita Uthaya, Gregory R. Young, Shalabh Garg, Vimal Vasu, Andrea C. Masi, Lauren Beck, Neena Modi, Christopher J. Stewart, Janet E. Berrington
Summary: This study investigated the effect of an exclusive human milk diet on the gut microbiome of preterm infants. The results showed that an exclusive human milk diet did not affect the overall diversity of gut bacteria but had an impact on specific bacterial taxa associated with human milk receipt.
Review
Microbiology
Gregory R. Young, Andrew Nelson, Christopher J. Stewart, Darren L. Smith
Summary: The acquisition and development of gut microbiome in neonates, especially those born preterm, play a vital role in immune education. Bacterial communities have been extensively studied, but recent research has also focused on exploring bacteriophages and their relationships with bacterial community structure as well as health and disease. However, the complex relationships between bacteriophages, bacteria, and the human host are still not fully understood.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
