Breastfeeding and the microbiome: a brief look at an article from Cell.
Article Title: A distinct clade of Bifidobacterium longum in the gut of Bangladeshi children thrives during weaning
Journal: Cell
Article Highlights
Article and accompanying figures are here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.10.011
Main Takeaways
The infant microbiome and metabolome are influenced heavily by breastfeeding (as well as other factors), which affects growth and health. In this study, infant growth is positively correlated with the abundance of bifidis longum subspecies infantis, a bacteria that thrives in the gut of exclusively breastfed infants in Bangladesh. B. longum subsp longum, and transitional B. longum, prevalent in these breastfed babies, is inversely correlated with diarrhea severity and incidence. Transitional B. longum rises to prominence during weaning and can metabolize components of breast milk and solid foods.
Why?
Because the gut microbiome and resulting metabolome are fundamental to good health and immunity, how the microbiome develops and how exclusive breastfeeding supports the gut in normal development and, thus, normal health and immune function is of vital importance. This study proposes that industrialized nations have disruptions in normal microbiota development that have produced a less diverse microbiota resulting in more immune-mediated diseases. They are drilling down into the normal microbiome development by studying the fecal microbiome and metabolome of exclusively breastfed infants (first 6 months) with continued breastfeeding while adding solids, up to 24 months of age, of a cohort of infants in Bangladesh.
Quotable Droplet with the most kCals per mL:
“Gut microbiome development in infancy and early childhood follows predictable patterns …-akin to human developmental milestones – and disruptions of this process are thought to alter immune development and long-term immune fitness. Human milk is a key factor in shaping the infant gut microbiome.” (Vatanen et al., 2022.)
A few more details & quotes:
Fecal samples were collected at different time points, from birth to 24 months. Samples for 222 Bangladeshi infants were analyzed, most exclusively breastfed through 6 months and continued to be breastfed as solids were added.
“Bacterial metabolic products mediate host immune regulation and growth…” (Vatanen et al., 2022.)
In a Bangladeshi community where exclusive breastfeeding is the norm, three clades of bifidus were shown to thrive in the infants’ guts.
“Each clade was associated with a unique set of metabolites.” (Vatanen et al., 2022.)
Bifidus longum subsp infantis (the prominent bifidus clade before solids are added) is tied to growth (positive correlation).
Transitional bifidus longum, much higher in this cohort than globally, thrives during weaning and helps digest breastmilk and solid foods. (Metabolizes fucosylated human milk oligosaccharides and dietary fibers.)
Methods used include qPCR, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, Pac-Bio sequencing, machine-learning and other bioinformatics models and approaches.
”Our data demonstrate geographic, cultural, seasonal, and ecological heterogeneity that should be accounted for when identifying microbiome factors implicated in and potentially benefiting infant development.” (Vatanen et al., 2022.)
“Industrialized settings imply practices interfering with mother-to-infant microbiome transmission and development, such as Cesarean section, formula feeding, and early cessation of breastfeeding, that could lead to loss of microbiome diversity across generations.” (Vatanen et al., 2022.)
The authors suggest that some microbes could be considered endangered in some parts of the world.
Citation details
Article Title: A distinct clade of Bifidobacterium longum in the gut of Bangladeshi children thrives during weaning
Authors: Tommi Vatanen, Qi Yan Ang, Siegwald, L., Shafiqul Alam Sarker, Le, C. I., Stéphane Duboux, Delannoy-Bruno, O., Ngom-Bru, C., Boulangé, C. L., Stražar, M., Avila-Pacheco, J., Deik, A., Pierce, K. A., Bullock, K., Dennis, C., Sultana, S., Sayed, S., Rahman, M., Ahmed, T., & Monica Marianna Modesto.
Journal: Cell
Publication Date: Nov 1, 2022
KEEPING UP-TO-DATE WITH BREASTFEEDING MEDICINE
Droplets of Knowledge: Helping practitioners stay up to date with the latest information on breastfeeding, as well as a look at some classic studies.
Prepared by Dena Duran
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