BACKGROUND: Probiotics are live microbial supplements that colonize the gut and potentially exert health benefit to the host. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the impact of a probiotic (Infloran®: Lactobacillus acidophilus-NCIMB701748 and Bifidobacterium bifidum-ATCC15696) on the bacterial and metabolic function of the preterm gut while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and following discharge. METHODS: Stool samples (n = 88) were collected before, during, and after probiotic intake from 7 patients, along with time-matched controls from 3 patients. Samples were also collected following discharge home from the NICU. Samples underwent bacterial profiling analysis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR), as well as metabolomic profiling using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Bacterial profiling showed greater Bifidobacterium (15.1%) and Lactobacillus (4.2%) during supplementation compared to the control group (4.0% and 0%, respectively). While Lactobacillus became reduced after the probiotic had been stopped, Bifidobacterium remained high following discharge, suggestive of successful colonisation. qPCR analysis showed a significant increase (p ≤ 0.01) in B. bifidum in infants who received probiotic treatment compared to controls, but no significant increase was observed for L. acidophilus (p = 0.153). Metabolite profiling showed clustering based on receiving probiotic or matched controls, with distinct metabolites associated with probiotic administration. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotic species successfully colonise the preterm gut, reducing the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria, and effecting gut functioning. Bifidobacterium (but not Lactobacillus) colonised the gut in the long term, suggesting the possibility that therapeutically administered probiotics may continue to exert important functional effects on gut microbial communities in early infancy.
BACKGROUND: Probiotics are live microbial supplements that colonize the gut and potentially exert health benefit to the host. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the impact of a probiotic (Infloran®: Lactobacillus acidophilus-NCIMB701748 and Bifidobacterium bifidum-ATCC15696) on the bacterial and metabolic function of the preterm gut while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and following discharge. METHODS: Stool samples (n = 88) were collected before, during, and after probiotic intake from 7 patients, along with time-matched controls from 3 patients. Samples were also collected following discharge home from the NICU. Samples underwent bacterial profiling analysis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR), as well as metabolomic profiling using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Bacterial profiling showed greater Bifidobacterium (15.1%) and Lactobacillus (4.2%) during supplementation compared to the control group (4.0% and 0%, respectively). While Lactobacillus became reduced after the probiotic had been stopped, Bifidobacterium remained high following discharge, suggestive of successful colonisation. qPCR analysis showed a significant increase (p ≤ 0.01) in B. bifidum in infants who received probiotic treatment compared to controls, but no significant increase was observed for L. acidophilus (p = 0.153). Metabolite profiling showed clustering based on receiving probiotic or matched controls, with distinct metabolites associated with probiotic administration. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotic species successfully colonise the preterm gut, reducing the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria, and effecting gut functioning. Bifidobacterium (but not Lactobacillus) colonised the gut in the long term, suggesting the possibility that therapeutically administered probiotics may continue to exert important functional effects on gut microbial communities in early infancy.
Authors: Katherine M Antosca; Diana A Chernikova; Courtney E Price; Kathryn L Ruoff; Kewei Li; Margaret F Guill; Natalie R Sontag; Hilary G Morrison; Shuyu Hao; Mitchell L Drumm; Todd A MacKenzie; Dana B Dorman; Lynn M Feenan; Molly A Williams; John Dessaint; Irene H Yuan; Brian J Aldrich; Lisa A Moulton; Lily Ting; Ana Martinez-Del Campo; Edward J Stewart; Margaret R Karagas; George A O'Toole; Juliette C Madan Journal: J Bacteriol Date: 2019-07-24 Impact factor: 3.490
Authors: Andrea K Nash; Thomas A Auchtung; Matthew C Wong; Daniel P Smith; Jonathan R Gesell; Matthew C Ross; Christopher J Stewart; Ginger A Metcalf; Donna M Muzny; Richard A Gibbs; Nadim J Ajami; Joseph F Petrosino Journal: Microbiome Date: 2017-11-25 Impact factor: 14.650
Authors: Alex Grier; Xing Qiu; Sanjukta Bandyopadhyay; Jeanne Holden-Wiltse; Haeja A Kessler; Ann L Gill; Brooke Hamilton; Heidie Huyck; Sara Misra; Thomas J Mariani; Rita M Ryan; Lori Scholer; Kristin M Scheible; Yi-Horng Lee; Mary T Caserta; Gloria S Pryhuber; Steven R Gill Journal: Microbiome Date: 2017-12-11 Impact factor: 14.650
Authors: Christopher J Stewart; Nicholas D Embleton; Elizabeth Clements; Pamela N Luna; Daniel P Smith; Tatiana Y Fofanova; Andrew Nelson; Gillian Taylor; Caroline H Orr; Joseph F Petrosino; Janet E Berrington; Stephen P Cummings Journal: Front Microbiol Date: 2017-06-06 Impact factor: 5.640
Authors: Angela Moya-Pérez; Pauline Luczynski; Ingrid B Renes; Shugui Wang; Yuliya Borre; C Anthony Ryan; Jan Knol; Catherine Stanton; Timothy G Dinan; John F Cryan Journal: Nutr Rev Date: 2017-04-01 Impact factor: 7.110
Authors: Christopher J Stewart; Nicholas D Embleton; Emma C L Marrs; Daniel P Smith; Andrew Nelson; Bashir Abdulkadir; Tom Skeath; Joseph F Petrosino; John D Perry; Janet E Berrington; Stephen P Cummings Journal: Microbiome Date: 2016-12-29 Impact factor: 14.650