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Eczema-protective probiotic alters infant gut microbiome functional capacity but not composition: sub-sample analysis from a RCT

In: Beneficial Microbes
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R. Murphy Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Park Road, Grafton, 1142 Auckland, New Zealand.

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X.C. Morgan Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016 New Zealand.

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X.Y. Wang Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016 New Zealand.

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K. Wickens Department of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington South, 6021 Wellington, New Zealand.

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G. Purdie Department of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington South, 6021 Wellington, New Zealand.

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P. Fitzharris Department of Immunology, Auckland City Hospital, 2 Park Road, Grafton, 1023 Auckland, New Zealand.

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A. Otal Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016 New Zealand.

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B. Lawley Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016 New Zealand.

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T. Stanley Department of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington South, 6021 Wellington, New Zealand.

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C. Barthow Department of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington South, 6021 Wellington, New Zealand.

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J. Crane Department of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington South, 6021 Wellington, New Zealand.

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E.A. Mitchell Department of Paediatrics, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.

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G.W. Tannock Microbiome Otago, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St., 9016 Dunedin, New Zealand.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016 New Zealand.

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Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 given in early life has been shown to reduce infant eczema risk, but its effect on gut microbiota development has not been quantitatively and functionally examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of early life probiotic exposure on the composition and functional capacity of infant gut microbiota from birth to 2 years considering the effects of age, delivery mode, antibiotics, pets and eczema. We performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing analysis of 650 infant faecal samples, collected at birth, 3, 12, and 24 months, as part of a randomised, controlled, 3-arm trial assessing the effect of L. rhamnosus HN001, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 supplementation on eczema development in 474 infants. There was a 50% reduced eczema risk in the HN001 probiotic group compared to placebo. Both mothers (from 35 weeks gestation until 6 months post-partum if breastfeeding) and infants (from birth to 2 years) received either a placebo or one of two probiotics, L. rhamnosus HN001 (6×109 cfu), or B. animalis subsp. lactis HN019 (9×109 cfu). L. rhamnosus HN001 probiotic supplementation was associated with increased overall glycerol-3 phosphate transport capacity and enrichment of L. rhamnosus. There were no other significant changes in infant gut microbiota composition or diversity. Increased capacity to transport glycerol-3-phosphate was positively correlated with relative abundance of L. rhamnosus. Children who developed eczema had gut microbiota with increased capacity for glycosaminoglycan degradation and flagellum assembly but had no significant differences in microbiota composition or diversity. Early life HN001 probiotic use is associated with both increased L. rhamnosus and increased infant gut microbiota functional capacity to transport glycerol-3 phosphate. The mechanistic relationship of such functional alteration in gut microbiota with reduced eczema risk and long-term health merits further investigation.

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