Breast-feeding plays important role in 'seeding' infant microbiome with beneficial bacteria
University of California - Los Angeles Health News May 15, 2017
UCLA–led study finds that nearly one–third of beneficial bacteria in babyÂs intestinal tract comes directly from motherÂs milk.
Mothers protect their babies and teach them habits to stay healthy and safe as they grow. A new UCLA–led study shows that beneficial bacteria from mothers do much the same thing.
The study found that 30 percent of the beneficial bacteria in a babyÂs intestinal tract come directly from motherÂs milk, and an additional 10 percent comes from skin on the motherÂs breast. WhatÂs more, babies who breast–feed even after they begin eating solid food continue reaping the benefits of a breast milk diet – a growing population of beneficial bacteria associated with better health.
After birth, beneficial bacteria from the mother and environment colonize the infantÂs intestine, helping digest food and training the babyÂs immune system to recognize bacterial allies and enemies. But scientists still donÂt completely understand the mechanisms that help babies establish a healthy gut microbiome – the diverse community of bacteria that inhabits the intestines.
ÂBreast milk is this amazing liquid that, through millions of years of evolution, has evolved to make babies healthy, particularly their immune systems, said Dr. Grace Aldrovandi, the studyÂs senior author and a professor of pediatrics and chief of infectious diseases at UCLA Mattel ChildrenÂs Hospital. ÂOur research identifies a new mechanism that contributes to building stronger, healthier babies.Â
The findings appeared in the May 8 issue of JAMA Pediatrics journal.
The study, which looked at 107 mother–infant pairs, is the largest to date showing the transfer of bacteria in the milk into the babyÂs gut, Aldrovandi said.
Earlier research has shown that a balanced bacterial community in the intestine is a key factor in peopleÂs susceptibility to immune diseases. For example, children who develop type 1 diabetes have abnormalities in their gut microbiomes; whatÂs more, a healthy gut appears to protect against allergies, asthma and inflammatory bowel disease throughout life.
Throughout the babies first year of life, researchers collected samples of breast milk and infant stool, and swabs from the skin around the nipple. They analyzed the samples to assess which bacteria were shared between mothers and infants, and calculated the relative abundance of the bacteria. The origin of breast milk bacteria remains unclear; one hypothesis is that it travels to the breast from the motherÂs intestine.
The project did not address how babies who are fed only formula acquire heathy microbiomes.
Aldrovandi and colleagues want to expand the research to evaluate more samples in late infancy to better understand the transition to an adult microbiome. They would like to test in the lab how bacteria that are provided through breast–feeding are critical in infants immune responses, and determine which beneficial bacteria are missing in people who have certain diseases.
The studyÂs other authors are Dr. Pia Pannaraj and Dr. Jeffrey Bender of University of Southern CaliforniaÂs Keck School of Medicine; Shangxin Yang, Adrienne Rollie, Helty Adisetiyo, Fan li and Dr. Chiara Cerini of ChildrenÂs Hospital Los Angeles; Sara Zabih, Pamela Lincez, Kyle Bittinger, Aubrey Bailey and Frederic Bushman of University of Pennsylvania; and Dr. John Sleasman of Duke University School of Medicine.
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Mothers protect their babies and teach them habits to stay healthy and safe as they grow. A new UCLA–led study shows that beneficial bacteria from mothers do much the same thing.
The study found that 30 percent of the beneficial bacteria in a babyÂs intestinal tract come directly from motherÂs milk, and an additional 10 percent comes from skin on the motherÂs breast. WhatÂs more, babies who breast–feed even after they begin eating solid food continue reaping the benefits of a breast milk diet – a growing population of beneficial bacteria associated with better health.
After birth, beneficial bacteria from the mother and environment colonize the infantÂs intestine, helping digest food and training the babyÂs immune system to recognize bacterial allies and enemies. But scientists still donÂt completely understand the mechanisms that help babies establish a healthy gut microbiome – the diverse community of bacteria that inhabits the intestines.
ÂBreast milk is this amazing liquid that, through millions of years of evolution, has evolved to make babies healthy, particularly their immune systems, said Dr. Grace Aldrovandi, the studyÂs senior author and a professor of pediatrics and chief of infectious diseases at UCLA Mattel ChildrenÂs Hospital. ÂOur research identifies a new mechanism that contributes to building stronger, healthier babies.Â
The findings appeared in the May 8 issue of JAMA Pediatrics journal.
The study, which looked at 107 mother–infant pairs, is the largest to date showing the transfer of bacteria in the milk into the babyÂs gut, Aldrovandi said.
Earlier research has shown that a balanced bacterial community in the intestine is a key factor in peopleÂs susceptibility to immune diseases. For example, children who develop type 1 diabetes have abnormalities in their gut microbiomes; whatÂs more, a healthy gut appears to protect against allergies, asthma and inflammatory bowel disease throughout life.
Throughout the babies first year of life, researchers collected samples of breast milk and infant stool, and swabs from the skin around the nipple. They analyzed the samples to assess which bacteria were shared between mothers and infants, and calculated the relative abundance of the bacteria. The origin of breast milk bacteria remains unclear; one hypothesis is that it travels to the breast from the motherÂs intestine.
The project did not address how babies who are fed only formula acquire heathy microbiomes.
Aldrovandi and colleagues want to expand the research to evaluate more samples in late infancy to better understand the transition to an adult microbiome. They would like to test in the lab how bacteria that are provided through breast–feeding are critical in infants immune responses, and determine which beneficial bacteria are missing in people who have certain diseases.
The studyÂs other authors are Dr. Pia Pannaraj and Dr. Jeffrey Bender of University of Southern CaliforniaÂs Keck School of Medicine; Shangxin Yang, Adrienne Rollie, Helty Adisetiyo, Fan li and Dr. Chiara Cerini of ChildrenÂs Hospital Los Angeles; Sara Zabih, Pamela Lincez, Kyle Bittinger, Aubrey Bailey and Frederic Bushman of University of Pennsylvania; and Dr. John Sleasman of Duke University School of Medicine.
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