Intestinal microbiota in healthy U.S. young children and adults--a high throughput microarray analysis

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Human gut microbiota
• Pediatric health

Background:

• The infant gut microbiota is believed to establish within the first 1-2 years of life.
• Limited data exists on the characterization and comparison of infant and adult-like microbiota over consecutive years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize and compare the intestinal microbiota of healthy young children (1-4 years) and adults (21-60 years).
• To investigate the developmental trajectory of the gut microbiota in early life using high-throughput bacterial phylogenetic microarray analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Human Intestinal Tract Chip (HITChip) phylogenetic microarray targeting 16S rRNA V1 and V6 regions.
• Employed quantitative PCR for detailed characterization of the intestinal microbiota.
• Analyzed samples from 28 healthy children and 23 healthy adults from North Carolina, USA.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in predominant phylum-like groups (Actinobacteria, Bacilli, Clostridium cluster IV, Bacteroidetes) between children and adults.
• The genus Bifidobacterium was significantly more abundant in young children (3.5-fold) compared to adults.
• The gut microbiota of young children exhibited lower diversity than that of adults.

Conclusions:

• Establishment of an adult-like intestinal microbiota occurs later than the commonly believed 1-2 year timeframe.
• Characterizing early-life microbiota development identifies critical 'windows of opportunity' for health interventions.
• Findings may inform strategies to promote health and prevent disease through early-life microbiome modulation.