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Published on: January 28, 2019
Early-life gut microbiome composition and rotavirus vaccine-induced IgA responses in U.S. infants: a longitudinal
Janiret Narváez-Miranda1, Michael B Sohn2, Daniel Velasquez-Portocarrero3
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
Insights
Early-life gut microbiome diversity in U.S. infants is linked to rotavirus vaccine response. Higher microbial diversity at one month correlated with increased rotavirus-IgA antibody levels at six months.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Vaccinology
- Pediatric immunology
Background:
- Rotavirus vaccination is crucial for reducing childhood mortality globally.
- Existing data on the gut microbiome's role in vaccine response, particularly in the U.S., is limited and inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the development of the infant gut microbiome.
- To determine the association between the gut microbiome and immunogenicity after RotaTeq vaccination in U.S. infants.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of infants in Rochester, NY.
- 16S rRNA sequencing for microbiome analysis at 1, 6, and 12 months.
- Rotavirus-IgA serology measured at 6 and 12 months to assess vaccine response.
Main Results:
- Higher gut microbial alpha diversity at 1 month was associated with higher rotavirus-IgA at 6 months (p=0.024).
- Microbial diversity at 6 months was not linked to concurrent IgA levels but associated with higher IgA at 12 months (p=0.033).
- Specific microbial taxa showed associations, both positive and negative, with rotavirus-IgA responses over time.
Conclusions:
- Early-life gut microbiome diversity and composition are associated with rotavirus-IgA responses post-RotaTeq vaccination in healthy U.S. infants.
- This research enhances the understanding of microbiome-vaccine interactions in high-income countries.
Background:
Rotavirus remains a leading cause of childhood mortality worldwide, despite the widespread introduction of oral rotavirus vaccines. Evidence linking the gut microbiome to vaccine response is inconsistent and limited in U.S.
Populations:
This study investigates the development of the infant gut microbiome and its association with immunogenicity following RotaTeq administration in U.S. infants.
Methods:
We conducted a longitudinal analysis of infants in Rochester, New York, using 16S rRNA sequencing to assess microbiome composition at one (M1), sixth (M6), and twelfth (M12) months of age. Rotavirus-IgA serologies were measured at M6 and M12 to assess RotaTeq vaccine seroresponse. Clinical metadata were used to assess factors associated with microbial diversity and rotavirus-IgA titres over the first year of life. We examined associations between (1) M1 microbiome and M6 rotavirus-IgA; (2) M6 microbiome and M6 rotavirus-IgA; and (3) M6 microbiome and M12 rotavirus-IgA.
Findings:
Higher gut microbial alpha diversity at M1 was associated with higher rotavirus-IgA titres at M6 (N = 47, β: 2·06, 95% CI: [0·31-3·99], p = 0·024). Alpha diversity at M6 was not associated with concurrent rotavirus-IgA responses (N = 56, β: 0·73, 95% CI: [-0·856, 2·313], p = 0·36) but was associated with higher rotavirus-IgA at M12 (N = 52, β: 1·47, 95% CI: [0·127, 2·805], p = 0·033). Rotavirus-IgA responses were associated with specific microbial taxa across timepoints, with both positive and negative associations observed.
Interpretation:
In a healthy U.S. infant cohort, early-life gut microbiome diversity and composition were associated with rotavirus-IgA responses following RotaTeq vaccination. This study advances understanding of microbiome-vaccine interactions in high-income settings.
Funding:
Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.
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