7 research outputs found
Dysbiosis of Skin Microbiota in Psoriatic Patients: Co-occurrence of Fungal and Bacterial Communities
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, whose pathogenesis involves dysregulated interplay among immune cells, keratinocytes and environmental triggers, including microbiota. Bacterial and fungal dysbiosis has been recently associated with several chronic immune-mediated diseases including psoriasis. In this comprehensive study, we investigated how different sampling sites and methods reflect the uncovered skin microbiota composition. After establishing the most suitable approach, we further examined correlations between bacteria and fungi on the psoriatic skin. We compared microbiota composition determined in the same sample by sequencing two distinct hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. We showed that using the V3V4 region led to higher species richness and evenness than using the V1V2 region. In particular, genera, such as Staphylococcus and Micrococcus were more abundant when using the V3V4 region, while Planococcaceae, on the other hand, were detected only by the V1V2 region. We performed a detailed analysis of skin microbiota composition of psoriatic lesions, unaffected psoriatic skin, and healthy control skin from the back and elbow. Only a few discriminative features were uncovered, mostly specific for the sampling site or method (swab, scraping, or biopsy). Swabs from psoriatic lesions on the back and the elbow were associated with increased abundance of Brevibacterium and Kocuria palustris and Gordonia, respectively. In the same samples from psoriatic lesions, we found a significantly higher abundance of the fungus Malassezia restricta on the back, while Malassezia sympodialis dominated the elbow mycobiota. In psoriatic elbow skin, we found significant correlation between occurrence of Kocuria, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus with Saccharomyces, which was not observed in healthy skin. For the first time, we showed here a psoriasis-specific correlation between fungal and bacterial species, suggesting a link between competition for niche occupancy and psoriasis. However, it still remains to be elucidated whether observed microbial shift and specific inter-kingdom relationship pattern are of primary etiological significance or secondary to the disease
Neonatal antibiotic exposure impairs child growth during the first six years of life by perturbing intestinal microbial colonization
Exposure to antibiotics in the first days of life is thought to affect various physiological aspects of neonatal development. Here, we investigate the long-term impact of antibiotic treatment in the neonatal period and early childhood on child growth in an unselected birth cohort of 12,422 children born at full term. We find significant attenuation of weight and height gain during the first 6 years of life after neonatal antibiotic exposure in boys, but not in girls, after adjusting for potential confounders. In contrast, antibiotic use after the neonatal period but during the first 6 years of life is associated with significantly higher body mass index throughout the study period in both boys and girls. Neonatal antibiotic exposure is associated with significant differences in the gut microbiome, particularly in decreased abundance and diversity of fecal Bifidobacteria until 2 years of age. Finally, we demonstrate that fecal microbiota transplant from antibiotic-exposed children to germ-free male, but not female, mice results in significant growth impairment. Thus, we conclude that neonatal antibiotic exposure is associated with a long-term gut microbiome perturbation and may result in reduced growth in boys during the first six years of life while antibiotic use later in childhood is associated with increased body mass index. In this study, Omry Koren, Samuli Rautava and colleagues report a sex-specific association between neonatal antibiotic exposure and weight and height gain during the first six years of life and showing that boys but not girls exposed to neonatal antibiotics exhibit impaired weight and height development
Alterations in the Gut (<i>Gallus gallus</i>) Microbiota Following the Consumption of Zinc Biofortified Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>)‑Based Diet
The
structure and function of cecal microbiota following the consumption
of a zinc (Zn) biofortified wheat diet was evaluated in a well-studied
animal model of human nutrition (<i>Gallus gallus</i>) during
a six-week efficacy trial. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, a significant
increase in β- but not α-microbial diversity was observed
in the animals receiving the Zn biofortified wheat diet, relative
to the control. No significant taxonomic differences were found between
the two groups. Linear discriminant analysis revealed a group of metagenomic
biomarkers that delineated the Zn replete versus Zn deficient phenotypes,
such that enrichment of lactic acid bacteria and concomitant increases
in Zn-dependent bacterial metabolic pathways were observed in the
Zn biofortified group, and expansion of mucin-degraders and specific
bacterial groups able to participate in maintaining host Zn homeostasis
were observed in the control group. Additionally, the <i>Ruminococcus</i> genus appeared to be a key player in delineating the Zn replete
microbiota from the control group, as it strongly predicts host Zn
adequacy. Our data demonstrate that the gut microbiome associated
with Zn biofortified wheat ingestion is unique and may influence host
Zn status. Microbiota analysis in biofortification trials represents
a crucial area for study as Zn biofortified diets are increasingly
delivered on a population-wide scale
Neonatal antibiotic exposure impairs child growth during the first six years of life by perturbing intestinal microbial colonization
Exposure to antibiotics in the first days of life is thought to affect various physiological aspects of neonatal development. Here, we investigate the long-term impact of antibiotic treatment in the neonatal period and early childhood on child growth in an unselected birth cohort of 12,422 children born at full term. We find significant attenuation of weight and height gain during the first 6 years of life after neonatal antibiotic exposure in boys, but not in girls, after adjusting for potential confounders. In contrast, antibiotic use after the neonatal period but during the first 6 years of life is associated with significantly higher body mass index throughout the study period in both boys and girls. Neonatal antibiotic exposure is associated with significant differences in the gut microbiome, particularly in decreased abundance and diversity of fecal Bifidobacteria until 2 years of age. Finally, we demonstrate that fecal microbiota transplant from antibiotic-exposed children to germ-free male, but not female, mice results in significant growth impairment. Thus, we conclude that neonatal antibiotic exposure is associated with a long-term gut microbiome perturbation and may result in reduced growth in boys during the first six years of life while antibiotic use later in childhood is associated with increased body mass index. In this study, Omry Koren, Samuli Rautava and colleagues report a sex-specific association between neonatal antibiotic exposure and weight and height gain during the first six years of life and showing that boys but not girls exposed to neonatal antibiotics exhibit impaired weight and height development.Peer reviewe
Progesterone Increases Bifidobacterium Relative Abundance during Late Pregnancy
Summary: Gestation is accompanied by alterations in the microbial repertoire; however, the mechanisms driving these changes are unknown. Here, we demonstrate a dramatic shift in the gut microbial composition of women and mice during late pregnancy, including an increase in the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium. Using in-vivo-transplanted pellets, we found that progesterone, the principal gestation hormone, affects the microbial community. The effect of progesterone on the richness of several bacteria species, including Bifidobacterium, was also demonstrated in vitro, indicating a direct effect. Altogether, our results delineate a model in which progesterone promotes Bifidobacterium growth during late pregnancy. : Nuriel-Ohayon et al. demonstrate a dramatic shift in the gut microbial composition of women and mice during late pregnancy, including an increase in the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium. Using in vitro and in vivo experiments, they show that supplementation of progesterone affects the microbial communities, including increasing the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium. Keywords: progesterone, Bifidobacterium, pregnancy, gut microbiota, 16S rRNA, microbiom