Breast milk flora plays an important role in infantile eczema: cohort study in Northeast China

Abstract

Aims: Infantile eczema, usually coupled with a range of hypersensitive phenotypes, has come into notice with its rising prevalence and unclear pathogenesis. Recent studies show close ties between eczema and an infant's intestinal flora. To gain a further understanding of the interactions between microbiota and eczema, we studied the breast milk flora as a new factor and present the links among breast milk flora, infant intestinal flora and infantile eczema through a cohort study in Northeast China. Methods and Results: Fifty-two families were recruited with either an eczema or healthy infant younger than 6 months. Analysis and predictions using amplicon sequencing of microbiota found that Bifidobacterium and Bacteroidetes were enriched in healthy and eczema infant stools, respectively, consistent with previous reports. For breast milk flora, more 'positive' bacteria such as Akkermansia were enriched in breast milk from healthy infants' mothers. Further, higher bacterial delivery efficiencies were found in pairs of breast milk flora and infants' stool flora of families with eczema infants compared with families with healthy infants. Bacteroidetes, a widely known indicator of eczema, was found delivered more in eczema pairs. Further metagenomic predictions revealed that the breast milk microbiota participated significantly less in metabolism and immune system pathways, particularly in antigen processing and presentation and in Th17 cell-related pathways. Conclusions: In conclusion, as with other components of breast milk, the breast milk microbiota closely associates with infants' health via mother-infant bacterial delivery and metabolic functions. Significance and Impact of the Study: Our research aimed to fill the gap between the eczema and breast milk flora and describe the connections among breast milk and intestinal flora and eczema.

Microbial network signatures of early colonizers in infants with eczema

“…There is mounting evidence that the gut microbiota is crucial to the development of the immune system and the prevention of eczema in the periods of neonatal, infant, child, and adult [ 14 , 15 , 31 , 32 , 33 – 33 , 35 ]. Of these, several cross‐sessional studies [ 15 , 31 , 32 , 35 ] have obtained fecal samples of infants below 6 months of age, while others [ 14 , 33 ] performed longitudinal sampling.…”

“…There is mounting evidence that the gut microbiota is crucial to the development of the immune system and the prevention of eczema in the periods of neonatal, infant, child, and adult [ 14 , 15 , 31 , 32 , 33 – 33 , 35 ]. Of these, several cross‐sessional studies [ 15 , 31 , 32 , 35 ] have obtained fecal samples of infants below 6 months of age, while others [ 14 , 33 ] performed longitudinal sampling. A longitudinal study of fecal microbiota of children from 5 weeks through 6–11 years has indicated that alterations in microbial diversity and composition precede the onset of allergic manifestations [ 14 ].…”

Exploration and comparison of bacterial communities present in bovine faeces, milk and blood using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing

“…mucinophila ) is said to contribute to a healthy mucus-associated microbial composition and could also be used to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes [ 63 , 80 , 81 ]. It was found to be an indicator of healthy breast milk in humans and presumed to confer beneficial functions as a probiotic [ 82 ]. Therefore, its abundance in the studied body sites may be important for the health of cows.…”

From gut to skin: exploring the potential of natural products targeting microorganisms for atopic dermatitis treatment

“…230 Similar to other constituents of breast milk, the breast milk microbiota establishes a close association with the health of infants through the transmission of bacteria from mother to infant and its metabolic functions. 231 An randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated that maternal uptake of a combination of three probiotics, LGG, L. acidophilus La-5, and B. lactis Bb-12, could reduce the cumulative incidence of AD; however, it did not affect atopic sensitization. 232 Perez et al have shown that maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells and breast milk contain small amounts of viable bacteria and a wide range of bacterial DNA signatures.…”

“…230 Similar to other constituents of breast milk, the breast milk microbiota establishes a close association with the health of infants through the transmission of bacteria from mother to infant and its metabolic functions. 231…”