Researcher University of Minnesota University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Background: Abnormal microbial colonization during infancy is associated with disorders of metabolism and immunity in animal models. Maternal probiotic use during pregnancy and lactation has been proposed as a strategy to promote healthy infant gut microbes (microbiomes) and attenuate inflammation, with the hope that this will prevent adverse health outcomes such as obesity, asthma, allergy and infection.
Objective: We sought to determine whether maternal oral probiotic product use during pregnancy and lactation is associated with microbiomes of breastmilk and infant feces, as well as inflammation-associated proteins in breastmilk.
Design/Methods: Mother-infant dyads that were predominantly breastfed were recruited as part of the Mothers and Infants Linked for Healthy Growth (MILk) study NIH HD080444). Clinical metadata was obtained from electronic health records and post-natal questionnaires, which included timing, duration, and name of probiotic. Study groups were defined by duration of probiotic use (<1 month, n=125 or ≥1 month, n=17). Microbiomes were characterized from breastmilk (n=110) at 1 month postpartum and infant feces at 1 (n=142) and 6 (n=118) months of age by sequencing 16S rDNA. C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 levels were determined in breastmilk by immunoassays.
Results: Fecal microbiome compositions differed according to duration of maternal probiotic use at both 1 and 6 months of age (beta-diversity, PERMANOVA p<0.05, for each age). Maternal probiotic use for > 1 month was associated with higher relative abundance of Lactobacillus in infant feces (p<0.001) and lower CRP and IL-6 levels in breastmilk at 1 month of infant age (Welch's t-tests, IL-6: p<0.05, effect size = 1.67, CI [0.46, 2.83]; CRP: p<0.05, effect size = 1.30, CI [0.19, 2.28]). Maternal probiotic use was not associated with breastmilk microbiome variation. Probiotic groups did not differ with respect to clinical covariables that potentially affect microbiome or inflammation protein variation: antibiotic exposure, birth mode, maternal diet, and maternal BMI (Pearson's Chi-squared tests or Welch’s t-tests, all p>0.15). Conclusion(s): In this pilot study, maternal probiotic use was associated with variation in infant gut microbiomes in breastfed infants as well as lower levels of inflammatory markers in breastmilk. These results support continued research on the use of pre- and postnatal probiotics in mothers to promote healthy microbiome-associated outcomes in infants.
Authors/Institutions: Sara Gonia, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; Timothy Heisel, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; Jacob L. Haapala, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; Abigail Johnson, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; David R. Jacobs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; Lisa Harnack, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; Dan Knights, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; Ellen W. Demerath, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; Cheryl A. Gale, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
