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Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota
Published on: February 15, 2019
Compositional and functional variability of the gut microbiome in children with infantile colic
Samat Kozhakhmetov1, Zarina Meiirmanova2, Nurislam Mukhanbetzhanov3
1Laboratory of Microbiome, Center for Life Sciences, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr ave., Block S1, Nur-Sultan, Z05H0P9, Republic of Kazakhstan. skozhakhmetov@nu.edu.kz.
Insights
Infantile colic in newborns is linked to distinct gut microbiome development. Specific bacterial groups and metabolic pathways differ between colicky infants and controls, suggesting a microbiome-colic relationship.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Infant colic, characterized by inconsolable crying, causes parental anxiety.
- Previous research suggests gut microbiota and its activity may cause discomfort leading to colic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between infantile colic and the developing infant gut microbiome.
- To compare the fecal microbiome structure and metabolic pathways between infants with and without colic.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study of 62 newborns and their mothers.
- Collection of fecal samples from infants (day 1 to 12 months) and mothers.
- Full metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples from infants and mothers.
Main Results:
- Infants with colic showed a different intestinal microbiome trajectory compared to controls.
- Colic group had depleted Bifidobacterium and enriched Bacteroides Clostridiales, with higher microbial biodiversity.
- Metabolic pathway analysis revealed enrichment of glycolysis in the colic group's microbiome, correlating with Bacteroides.
Conclusions:
- Infantile colic is definitively associated with infant gut microbiome structure.
- Microbiome alterations, including specific taxa and metabolic pathways, characterize infantile colic.
Abstract:
The inconsolable crying of a child for no apparent reason at an early age is a source of excitement and anxiety for parents. Previous studies have reported that crying may be caused by discomfort associated with the occupation of the intestines of the newborn by microbiota and its vital activity. We conducted a prospective observational study in which 62 newborns and their mothers were recruited. The study comprised two groups, each consisting of 15 infants with colic and 21 controls. Colic and control groups were vaginally born and exclusively breastfed. Fecal samples from children were collected over time from day 1 to 12 months. Full metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples from children and their mothers was carried out. It was determined that the trajectory of the development of the intestinal microbiome of children with colic was different from the group without colic. In the colic group, a depleted relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and enrichment of Bacteroides Clostridiales was found, while the microbial biodiversity in this group was enriched. Metabolic pathway profiling showed that the non-colic group was enriched by amino acid biosynthetic pathways, while the feces microbiome of the colic group was enriched by glycolysis metabolic pathways that correlated with the Bacteroides taxon. This study shows that infantile colic has a definite relationship with the microbiome structure of infants.
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