Content area
The contribution of Human milk (HM) microbiota to infant gut health was addressed by evaluating the effects of HM bacteria combined in two synthetic communities (SynComs, with an in vitro characterized anti-inflammatory (AI) or high immunomodulatory (HI) profile) on systemic and ileal immune cell functions, gut epithelial barrier and microbiota. Neonatal mini-piglets were fed either a formula without supplementation (CTRL) or supplemented with AI or HI SynComs and compared to sow milk-fed (SM) piglets. The two HM-derived SynComs differently modulated microbiota and intestinal functions (mainly immunity). Notably, the abundance of more than half of the intestinal taxa that differed between the three formula groups differed between AI and HI piglets. In addition, fewer differently abundant genera were observed between HI and SM piglets than between CTRL and SM piglets, suggesting that SynCom HI supplementation brought the microbiota of HI piglets closer to that of SM piglets. SynCom supplementation affected immune functions at both systemic and mucosal levels. Fecal sIgA level in HI piglets, which was slightly lower than in SM piglets, was markedly higher than in CTRL and AI piglets. Finally, SynCom bacteria were correlated with several genera in ileum and colon microbiota and both were highly correlated with physiological variables, supporting the HM bacteria-driven influence on gut microbiota and on multiple gut functions. Overall, our data show that SynComs with contrasting immunomodulatory properties but similar taxonomic composition can differently modulate the developmental profile of intestinal functions and microbiota in mini-piglets used as a human infant model.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
* https://doi.org/10.57745/ATTHZ3
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/PRJNA1197167