Ethnic diversity in infant gut microbiota is apparent before the introduction of complementary diets

Abstract

The human gut microbiota develops soon after birth and can acquire inter-individual variation upon exposure to intrinsic and environmental cues. However, inter-individual variation has not been comprehensively assessed in a multi-ethnic study. We studied a longitudinal birth cohort of 106 infants of three Asian ethnicities (Chinese, Malay, and Indian) that resided in the same geographical location (Singapore). Specific and temporal influences of ethnicity, mode of delivery, breastfeeding status, gestational age, birthweight, gender, and maternal education on the development of the gut microbiota in the first 2 years of life were studied. Mode of delivery, breastfeeding status, and ethnicity were identified as the main factors influencing the compositional development of the gut microbiota. Effects of delivery mode and breastfeeding status lasted until 6M and 3M, respectively, with the primary impact on the diversity and temporal colonization of the genera Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium. The effect of ethnicity was apparent at 3M post-birth, even before the introduction of weaning (complementary) foods, and remained significant after adjusting for delivery mode and breastfeeding status. Ethnic influences remained significant until 12M in the Indian and Chinese infants. The microbiota of Indian infants was characterized by higher abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, while Chinese infants had higher abundances of Bacteroides and Akkermansia. These findings provide a detailed insight into the specific and temporal influences of early life factors and ethnicity in the development of the human gut microbiota. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov registration no. NCT01174875.

Differences in the gut microbiomes of distinct ethnicities within the same geographic area are linked to host metabolic health

“…Self-identified race/ethnicity (SIRE) provides a useful alternative, as it integrates the broader national or cultural tradition of a given social group and is closely tied to both dietary intake and genetic ancestry. Associations between the gut microbiota and ethnicity have been reported in China [10], the Netherlands [11], Singapore [12], and the United States [13, 14]. In contrast, a recent study of Asian immigrants suggested that once an individual relocates to a new country, the microbiota rapidly assumes the structure of the country of residence [3].…”

Remodeling of the maternal gut microbiome during pregnancy is shaped by parity

“…Subdoligranulum , a genus found in nearly all our piglets, has been observed in breast milk microbiomes [42]. In humans, breastfeeding is a source of early infant gut microbes [43], and is a significant predictor of early childhood gut microbiota [44] and immunity [45]. Parity has been shown to affect the lipid and protein content in human breast milk [46], as well as the microbiota composition of cow colostrum [47].…”

Differences in the gut microbiomes of distinct ethnicities within the same geographic area are linked to host metabolic health

“…Self-identi ed race/ethnicity (SIRE) provides a useful alternative, as it integrates the broader national or cultural tradition of a given social group and is closely tied to both dietary intake and genetic ancestry. Associations between the gut microbiota and ethnicity have been reported in China [10], the Netherlands [11], Singapore [12], and the United States [13,14]. In contrast, a recent study of Asian immigrants suggested that once an individual relocates to a new country, the microbiota rapidly assumes the structure of the country of residence [3].…”