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Published on: January 27, 2019
Gut microbial network signatures of early colonizers in preterm neonates with extrauterine growth restriction
Yumei Liang1, Xiaomin Yao1, Zida Meng2
1Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 533000, China.
Insights
Extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in preterm infants is linked to altered gut microbial networks. Specific bacterial groups, crucial for short-chain fatty acid production, were less abundant in EUGR neonates, suggesting a potential role in impaired growth.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Microbiome Research
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) is common in preterm infants and impacts long-term health.
- EUGR is associated with changes in the gut microbiome and metabolic profiles.
- Understanding early gut microbial colonization is key to addressing EUGR.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the gut microbial network characteristics in early colonizers of preterm neonates with EUGR.
- To compare the gut microbiome composition between preterm infants with and without EUGR.
Main Methods:
- Study included 29 preterm infants (14 EUGR, 15 AGA).
- Meconium (D1), day 28 (D28), and 1-month post-discharge (M1) fecal samples were collected.
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V3-V4 regions) was performed on extracted bacterial DNA.
Main Results:
- Distinct gut microbiome developmental trajectories were observed between EUGR and AGA groups.
- Significant microbial community differences were found at D1 and M1, but not D28.
- EUGR infants showed lower relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, including Lactobacillus, Parabacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Dysgonomonas, Dialister, Dorea, and Fusobacterium.
Conclusions:
- Preterm neonates with EUGR exhibit unique gut microbial signatures in early colonizers.
- Further research is required to determine if these microbial differences cause or result from EUGR.
Background:
Extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) represents a prevalent condition observed in preterm neonates, which poses potential adverse implications for both neonatal development and long-term health outcomes. The manifestation of EUGR has been intricately associated with perturbations in microbial and metabolic profiles. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of the gut microbial network in early colonizers among preterm neonates with EUGR.
Methods:
Twenty-nine preterm infants participated in this study, comprising 14 subjects in the EUGR group and 15 in the normal growth (AGA) group. Meconium (D1) and fecal samples were collected at postnatal day 28 (D28) and 1 month after discharge (M1). Subsequently, total bacterial DNA was extracted and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq system, targeting the V3-V4 hyper-variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene.
Results:
The outcomes of principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and examination of the microbial network structure revealed distinctive developmental trajectories in the gut microbiome during the initial three months of life among preterm neonates with and without EUGR. Significant differences in microbial community were observed at the D1 (P = 0.039) and M1 phases (P = 0.036) between the EUGR and AGA groups, while a comparable microbial community was noted at the D28 phase (P = 0.414). Moreover, relative to the AGA group, the EUGR group exhibited significantly lower relative abundances of bacteria associated with secretion of short-chain fatty acids, including Lactobacillus (P = 0.041) and Parabacteroides (P = 0.033) at the D1 phase, Bifidobacterium at the D28 phase, and genera Dysgonomonas (P = 0.042), Dialister (P = 0.02), Dorea (P = 0.042), and Fusobacterium (P = 0.017) at the M1 phase.
Conclusion:
Overall, the present findings offer crucial important insights into the distinctive gut microbial signatures exhibited by earlier colonizers in preterm neonates with EUGR. Further mechanistic studies are needed to establish whether these differences are the cause or a consequence of EUGR.
