scholarly journals The Infant Gut Microbiota and Risk of Asthma: The Effect of Maternal Nutrition during Pregnancy and Lactation

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naser A. Alsharairi

Research has amply demonstrated that early life dysbiosis of the gut microbiota influences the propensity to develop asthma. The influence of maternal nutrition on infant gut microbiota is therefore of growing interest. However, a handful of prospective studies have examined the role of maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy in influencing the infant gut microbiota but did not assess whether this resulted in an increased risk of asthma later in life. The mechanisms involved in the process are also, thus far, poorly documented. There have also been few studies examining the effect of maternal dietary nutrient intake during lactation on the milk microbiota, the effect on the infant gut microbiota and, furthermore, the consequences for asthma development remain largely unknown. Therefore, the specific aim of this mini review is summarizing the current knowledge regarding the effect of maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation on the infant gut microbiota composition, and whether it has implications for asthma development.

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Le Roy ◽  
Ruth Bowyer ◽  
Claire Steves ◽  
Tim Spector ◽  
Bell Jordana

Abstract Objectives Accumulation of visceral fat mass (VFM) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Both gut microbiota and diet have been shown to impact host adiposity in an interdependent manner, but the exact nature of their joint contributions has not been characterised. Here, we aimed to estimate and separate the effect of gut microbiota composition from that of nutrient intake on host VFM in of 1760 older female twins. Methods The gut microbiome profile was assessed by 16S sequencing. VFM was measured by DEXA whole body scan and nutrient intake was assessed through food frequency questionnaires. We used a combination of pair-wise associations, random forest modelling and mediation analysis to separate the effect of the gut microbiota and nutrients on VFM. Results Pairwise analyses revealed that 93 OTUs and 10 nutrients were significantly linked to VFM. Five of the 10 nutrients (fibre, trans fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin E and biotin) were also associated with 23% of the 93 VFM-associated OTUs. To separate the effects of the gut microbiota from nutrients on VFM we carried out conditional analyses. We observed that the majority (87%) of the 93 OTUs remained significantly associated with VFM irrespective of nutrient intake correction. In contrast, we observed that fibre, magnesium, biotin and vitamin E were no longer significantly associated with VFM when adjusting models for OTUs (P > 0.05), implying a role of the gut microbiota in mediating these nutrient effects on VFM. Formal mediation analysis revealed that the individual effect of fibre, biotin, magnesium and vitamin E on VFM were mediated at 69, 43, 41 and 31% respectively by OTUs. Moreover, we estimated that accumulated effect of OTUs on VFM (R2 = 0.19) was twice the one of nutrients (R2 = 0.11) and so were their prediction potential determined using random forest classification. Conclusions Our results suggest that while the role of certain nutrients on VFM appears to depend on gut microbiota composition, specific gut microbes may affect host adiposity regardless of dietary intake. The findings imply that the gut microbiota may have a greater contribution towards shaping host adiposity and VFM, compared to diet alone. Funding Sources We gratefully acknowledge support provided by the JPI HDHL funded DINAMIC consortium (administered by the MRC UK, MR/N030125/1). Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs


Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maaike J. Bruins ◽  
Peter Van Dael ◽  
Manfred Eggersdorfer

An increasing aging population worldwide accounts for a growing share of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) of the overall social and economic burden. Dietary and nutritional approaches are of paramount importance in the management of NCDs. As a result, nutrition programs are increasingly integrated into public health policies. At present, programs aimed at reducing the burden of NCDs have focused mostly on the excess of unhealthy nutrient intakes whereas the importance of optimizing adequate essential and semi-essential nutrient intakes and nutrient-rich diets has received less attention. Surveys indicate that nutrient intakes of the aging population are insufficient to optimally support healthy aging. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies in older adults are related to increased risk of NCDs including fatigue, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive and neuromuscular function impairments. Reviewed literature demonstrates that improving intake for certain nutrients may be important in reducing progress of NCDs such as musculoskeletal disorders, dementia, loss of vision, and cardiometabolic diseases during aging. Current knowledge concerning improving individual nutrient intakes to reduce progression of chronic disease is still emerging with varying effect sizes and levels of evidence. Most pronounced benefits of nutrients were found in participants who had low nutrient intake or status at baseline or who had increased genetic and metabolic needs for that nutrient. Authorities should implement ways to optimize essential nutrient intake as an integral part of their strategies to address NCDs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiera Murphy ◽  
R. Paul Ross ◽  
C. Anthony Ryan ◽  
Eugene M. Dempsey ◽  
Catherine Stanton

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. The exact mechanism by which NEC develops is poorly understood however there is growing evidence to suggest that perturbations in the early-life gut microbiota composition increase the risk for NEC. Modulation of the gut microbiota with probiotics, prebiotics, or in combination (synbiotics) is an area which has attracted intense interest in recent years. In this narrative review, we present an overview of the role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of NEC. We also examine the evidence currently available from randomized controlled trials, observational studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis examining the role of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics in reducing the risk of or preventing NEC. Current clinical practice guidelines with recommendations on the routine administration of probiotics to preterm infants for NEC are also explored.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Marra ◽  
M.A. Hanson ◽  
S. Kondo ◽  
B. Erkosar ◽  
B. Lemaitre

AbstractThe gut microbiota affects the physiology and metabolism of animals and its alteration can lead to diseases such as gut dysplasia or metabolic disorders. Several reports have shown that the immune system plays an important role in shaping both bacterial community composition and abundance in Drosophila, and that immune deficit, especially during aging, negatively affects microbiota richness and diversity. However, there has been little study at the effector level to demonstrate how immune pathways regulate the microbiota. A key set of Drosophila immune effectors are the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which confer defense upon systemic infection. AMPs and lysozymes, a group of digestive enzymes with antimicrobial properties, are expressed in the gut and are good candidates for microbiota regulation. Here, we take advantage of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the role of AMPs and lysozymes in regulation of gut microbiota structure and diversity.Using flies lacking AMPs and newly generated lysozyme mutants, we colonized gnotobiotic flies with a defined set of commensal bacteria and analyzed changes in microbiota composition and abundance in vertical transmission and aging contexts through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Our study shows that AMPs and, to a lesser extent, lysozymes are necessary to regulate the total and relative abundance of bacteria in the gut microbiota. We also decouple the direct function of AMPs from the IMD signaling pathway that regulates AMPs but also many other processes, more narrowly defining the role of these effectors in the microbial dysbiosis observed in IMD-deficient flies upon aging.ImportanceThis study advances current knowledge in the field of host-microbe interactions by demonstrating that the two families of immune effectors, antimicrobial peptides and lysozymes, actively regulate the gut microbiota composition and abundance. Consequences of the loss of these antimicrobial peptides and lysozymes are exacerbated during aging, and their loss contributes to increased microbiota abundance and shifted composition in old flies. This work shows that immune effectors, typically associated with resistance to pathogenic infections, also help shape the beneficial gut community, consistent with the idea that host-symbiont interactions use the same ‘language’ typically associated with pathogenesis.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3386
Author(s):  
Valeria Calcaterra ◽  
Hellas Cena ◽  
Elvira Verduci ◽  
Alessandra Bosetti ◽  
Gloria Pelizzo ◽  
...  

This Special Issue aims to examine the crucial role of nutritional status starting from pregnancy in modulating fetal, neonatal and infant growth and metabolic pathways, with potential long-term impacts on adult health. Poor maternal nutritional conditions in the earliest stages of life during fetal development and early life may induce both short-term and longer lasting effects; in particular, an increased risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and other chronic diseases such as obesity, which itself is a major risk factor for NCDs, is observed over the lifespan. Poor maternal nutrition affects the fetal developmental schedule, leading to irreversible changes and slowdown in growth. The fetus limits its size to conserve the little energy available for cardiac functions and neuronal development. The organism will retain memory of the early insult, and the adaptive response will result in pathology later on. Epigenetics may contribute to disease manifestation affecting developmental programming. After birth, even though there is a limited evidence base suggesting a relationship between breastfeeding, timing and type of foods used in weaning with disease later in life, nutritional surveillance is also mandatory in infants in the first year of life. We will explore the latest findings on nutrition in early life and term and preterm babies, as well as the role of malnutrition in the short- and long-term impact over the lifespan. Focusing on nutritional interventions represents part of an integrated life-cycle approach to prevent communicable and non-communicable diseases.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 3702
Author(s):  
Naser A. Alsharairi

As the very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) gains increased interest as a therapeutic approach for many diseases, little is known about its therapeutic use in childhood obesity. Indeed, the role of VLCKD during pregnancy and lactation in influencing short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and the potential mechanisms involved in the protective effects on obesity are still unclear. Infants are characterized by a diverse gut microbiota composition with higher abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria. Maternal VLCKD during pregnancy and lactation stimulates the growth of diverse species of SCFA-producing bacteria, which may induce epigenetic changes in infant obese gene expression and modulate adipose tissue inflammation in obesity. Therefore, this review aims to determine the mechanistic role of SCFAs in mediating VLCKD-infant gut microbiota relationships and its protective effects on obesity.


Metabolites ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 493
Author(s):  
Kiera Murphy ◽  
Aoife N. O’Donovan ◽  
Noel M. Caplice ◽  
R. Paul Ross ◽  
Catherine Stanton

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been classified as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. CVD risk factors include smoking, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obesity, inflammation and diabetes. The gut microbiota can influence human health through multiple interactions and community changes are associated with the development and progression of numerous disease states, including CVD. The gut microbiota are involved in the production of several metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). These products of microbial metabolism are important modulatory factors and have been associated with an increased risk of CVD. Due to its association with CVD development, the gut microbiota has emerged as a target for therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge on the role of the gut microbiome in CVD development, and associated microbial communities, functions, and metabolic profiles. We also discuss CVD therapeutic interventions that target the gut microbiota such as probiotics and faecal microbiota transplantation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Koliada ◽  
Vladislav Moseiko ◽  
Mariana Romanenko ◽  
Oleh Lushchak ◽  
Nadiia Kryzhanovska ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Evidence was previously provided for sex-related differences in the human gut microbiota composition, and sex-specific discrepancy in hormonal profiles was proposed as a main determinant of these differences. On the basis of these findings, the assumption was made on the role of microbiota in the sexual dimorphism of human diseases. To date, sex differences in fecal microbiota were demonstrated primarily at lower taxonomic levels, whereas phylum-level differences between sexes were reported in few studies only. In the present population-based cross-sectional research, sex differences in the phylum-level human gut microbiota composition were identified in a large (total n = 2301) sample of relatively healthy individuals from Ukraine. Results Relative abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, as determined by qRT-PCR, were found to be significantly increased, while that of Bacteroidetes was significantly decreased in females compared to males. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio was significantly increased in females compared to males. Females had 31 % higher odds of having F/B ratio more than 1 than males. This trend was evident in all age groups. The difference between sexes was even more pronounced in the elder individuals (50+): in this age group, female participants had 56 % higher odds of having F/B ratio > 1 than the male ones. Conclusions In conclusion, sex-specific differences in the phylum-level intestinal microbiota composition were observed in the Ukraine population. The F/B ratio was significantly increased in females compared to males. Further investigation is needed to draw strong conclusions regarding the mechanistic basis for sex-specific differences in the gut microbiota composition and regarding the role of these differences in the initiation and progression of human chronic diseases.


Gut Microbes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Jielong Guo ◽  
Chenglong Ren ◽  
Xue Han ◽  
Weidong Huang ◽  
Yilin You ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilias Attaye ◽  
Sara-Joan Pinto-Sietsma ◽  
Hilde Herrema ◽  
Max Nieuwdorp

Cardiometabolic disease (CMD), such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality on a global scale. The gut microbiota has emerged as a potential target to beneficially modulate CMD risk, possibly via dietary interventions. Dietary interventions have been shown to considerably alter gut microbiota composition and function. Moreover, several diet-derived microbial metabolites are able to modulate human metabolism and thereby alter CMD risk. Dietary interventions that affect gut microbiota composition and function are therefore a promising, novel, and cost-efficient method to reduce CMD risk. Studies suggest that fermentable carbohydrates can beneficially alter gut microbiota composition and function, whereas high animal protein and high fat intake negatively impact gut microbiota function and composition. This review focuses on the role of macronutrients (i.e., carbohydrate, protein, and fat) and dietary patterns (e.g., vegetarian/vegan and Mediterranean diet) in gut microbiota composition and function in the context of CMD.


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