Examining the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and child autism traits: A multi-cohort investigation in the environmental influences on child health outcome program.

This study examined the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses and traits. A total sample of 11,570 children (ages 1-18; 53% male; 25% Hispanic; 60% White) from 34 cohorts of the National Institutes of Health-funded environmental influences on child health outcomes consortium were included in analyses. Results from generalized linear mixed models replicated previous studies showing that associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and ASD traits in children are not significant when controlling for relevant covariates, particularly tobacco exposure. Child biological sex did not moderate the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and ASD. In a large sample and measuring ASD traits continuously, there was no evidence that prenatal cannabis exposure increases the risk for ASD. This work helps to clarify previous mixed findings by addressing concerns about statistical power and ASD measurement.

Allergic Diseases and Mental Health.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms have long been acknowledged as a common comorbidity for individuals with allergic diseases. The proposed mechanisms for this relationship vary by disease and patient population and may include neuroinflammation and/or the consequent social implications of disease symptoms and management. We review connections between mental health and allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, vocal cord dysfunction, urticaria, and food allergy. Many uncertainties remain and warrant further research, particularly with regard to how medications interact with pathophysiologic mechanisms of allergic disease in the neuroimmune axis. Proactive screening for mental health challenges, using tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire and Generalized Anxiety Disorder screening instruments among others, can aid clinicians in identifying patients who may need further psychiatric evaluation and support. Although convenient, symptom screening tools are limited by variable sensitivity and specificity and therefore require healthcare professionals to remain vigilant for other mental health "red flags." Ultimately, understanding the connection between allergic disease and mental health empowers clinicians to both anticipate and serve the diverse physical and mental health needs of their patient populations.

Prospective association of the infant gut microbiome with social behaviors in the ECHO consortium.

BACKGROUND: Identifying modifiable risk factors of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may inform interventions to reduce financial burden. The infant/toddler gut microbiome is one such feature that has been associated with social behaviors, but results vary between cohorts. We aimed to identify consistent overall and sex-specific associations between the early-life gut microbiome and autism-related behaviors. METHODS: Utilizing the Environmental influences on Children Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium of United States (U.S.) pediatric cohorts, we gathered data on 304 participants with fecal metagenomic sequencing between 6-weeks to 2-years postpartum (481 samples). ASD-related social development was assessed with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). Linear regression, PERMANOVA, and Microbiome Multivariable Association with Linear Models (MaAsLin2) were adjusted for sociodemographic factors. Stratified models estimated sex-specific effects. RESULTS: Genes encoding pathways for synthesis of short-chain fatty acids were associated with higher SRS-2 scores, indicative of ASDs. Fecal concentrations of butyrate were also positively associated with ASD-related SRS-2 scores, some of which may be explained by formula use. LIMITATIONS: The distribution of age at outcome assessment differed in the cohorts included, potentially limiting comparability between cohorts. Stool sample collection methods also differed between cohorts. Our study population reflects the general U.S. population, and thus includes few participants who met the criteria for being at high risk of developing ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is among the first multicenter studies in the U.S. to describe prospective microbiome development from infancy in relation to neurodevelopment associated with ASDs. Our work contributes to clarifying which microbial features associate with subsequent diagnosis of neuropsychiatric outcomes. This will allow for future interventional research targeting the microbiome to change neurodevelopmental trajectories.

Time-varying associations of gestational and childhood triclosan with pubertal and adrenarchal outcomes in early adolescence.

Background: Triclosan is an endocrine-disrupting chemical, but associations with pubertal outcomes remain unclear. We examined associations of gestational and childhood triclosan with adolescent hormone concentrations and pubertal stage. Methods: We quantified urinary triclosan concentrations twice during pregnancy and seven times between birth and 12 years in participants recruited from Cincinnati, OH (2003-2006). We averaged concentrations across pregnancy and childhood and separately considered individual exposure periods in multiple informant models. At 12 years, we measured serum hormone concentrations (males [n = 72] and females [n = 84]-dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone; males-testosterone; females-estradiol). Also at age 12 years, participants self-reported physical development and menarchal timing. We estimated associations (95% confidence interval) of triclosan with hormone concentrations, more advanced physical development, and age at menarche. Results: For females, each doubling of childhood triclosan was associated with 16% lower estradiol concentrations (-29%, 0%), with stronger associations for measures closer to adolescence. We found suggestive evidence that higher triclosan at any age was associated with ~10% (for gestational triclosan: -18%, -2%) lower follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations among males and early postnatal (1-3 years) triclosan was associated with 63% (5%, 96%) lower odds of advanced pubic hair development in females. In multiple informant models, each doubling of gestational triclosan concentrations was associated with 5% (0%, 9%) earlier age at menarche, equivalent to 5.5 months. Conclusion: Gestational and childhood triclosan concentrations were related to some pubertal outcomes including hormone concentrations and age at menarche. Our findings highlight the relevance of elucidating potential sex-specific and time-dependent actions of triclosan.

Beyond Confirmed Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Approaching Patients With Dysautonomia and Related Conditions.

Allergist-immunologists face significant challenges as experts in an ever-evolving field of neuroimmunology. Among these challenges is the increasingly frequent need to counsel patients with suspected mast cell activation disorders about perceived comorbidities, which may include hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, amplified pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, burning sensation syndromes, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Patients may experience comorbid anxiety, panic disorder, and depression associated with disturbed sleep, fatigue, and cognitive impairment that often worsen when their physical symptoms increase in severity. These conditions may mimic mast cell activation disorders and are emotionally taxing for patients and clinicians because they are often accompanied by vague diagnostic courses, perceived unmanageability, social stigma, and significant impairment in quality of life. Combined with relatively poorly researched therapies, it is no surprise that clinicians may feel overwhelmed or find it difficult to provide consistently compassionate care for this population. In this article, we review available therapies for these conditions, which run the gamut from physical therapy to antidepressants to multimodal pain control. We highlight the benefit of multidisciplinary care within the primary care home, which includes an important role by the allergist-immunologist. By outlining simple approaches to initial treatment, we hope to empower clinicians with the tools needed to curb emotional burnout and embrace this patient population with compassion.

Patterns of infant fecal metabolite concentrations and social behavioral development in toddlers.

BACKGROUND: Gut-derived metabolites, products of microbial and host co-metabolism, may inform mechanisms underlying children's neurodevelopment. We investigated whether infant fecal metabolites were related to toddler social behavior. METHODS: Stool samples collected from 6-week-olds (n = 86) and 1-year-olds (n = 209) in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS) were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics. Autism-related behavior in 3-year-olds was assessed by caregivers using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). To assess the association between metabolites and SRS-2 scores, we used a traditional single-metabolite approach, quantitative metabolite set enrichment (QEA), and self-organizing maps (SOMs). RESULTS: Using a single-metabolite approach and QEA, no individual fecal metabolite or metabolite set at either age was associated with SRS-2 scores. Using the SOM method, fecal metabolites of six-week-olds organized into four profiles, which were unrelated to SRS-2 scores. In 1-year-olds, one of twelve fecal metabolite profiles was associated with fewer autism-related behaviors, with SRS-2 scores 3.4 (95%CI: -7, 0.2) points lower than the referent group. This profile had higher concentrations of lactate and lower concentrations of short chain fatty acids than the reference. CONCLUSIONS: We uncovered metabolic profiles in infant stool associated with subsequent social behavior, highlighting one potential mechanism by which gut bacteria may influence neurobehavior. IMPACT: Differences in host and microbial metabolism may explain variability in neurobehavioral phenotypes, but prior studies do not have consistent results. We applied three statistical techniques to explore fecal metabolite differences related to social behavior, including self-organizing maps (SOMs), a novel machine learning algorithm. A 1-year-old fecal metabolite pattern characterized by high lactate and low short-chain fatty acid concentrations, identified using SOMs, was associated with social behavior less indicative of autism spectrum disorder. Our findings suggest that social behavior may be related to metabolite profiles and that future studies may uncover novel findings by applying the SOM algorithm.

Intestinal Bacteroides modulates inflammation, systemic cytokines, and microbial ecology via propionate in a mouse model of cystic fibrosis.

Persons with cystic fibrosis (CF), starting in early life, show intestinal microbiome dysbiosis characterized in part by a decreased relative abundance of the genus Bacteroides. Bacteroides is a major producer of the intestinal short chain fatty acid propionate. We demonstrate here that cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-defective (CFTR-/-) Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells are responsive to the anti-inflammatory effects of propionate. Furthermore, Bacteroides isolates inhibit the IL-1ß-induced inflammatory response of CFTR-/- Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells and do so in a propionate-dependent manner. The introduction of Bacteroides-supplemented stool from infants with cystic fibrosis into the gut of CftrF508del mice results in higher propionate in the stool as well as the reduction in several systemic pro-inflammatory cytokines. Bacteroides supplementation also reduced the fecal relative abundance of Escherichia coli, indicating a potential interaction between these two microbes, consistent with previous clinical studies. For a Bacteroides propionate mutant in the mouse model, pro-inflammatory cytokine KC is higher in the airway and serum compared with the wild-type (WT) strain, with no significant difference in the absolute abundance of these two strains. Taken together, our data indicate the potential multiple roles of Bacteroides-derived propionate in the modulation of systemic and airway inflammation and mediating the intestinal ecology of infants and children with CF. The roles of Bacteroides and the propionate it produces may help explain the observed gut-lung axis in CF and could guide the development of probiotics to mitigate systemic and airway inflammation for persons with CF.IMPORTANCEThe composition of the gut microbiome in persons with CF is correlated with lung health outcomes, a phenomenon referred to as the gut-lung axis. Here, we demonstrate that the intestinal microbe Bacteroides decreases inflammation through the production of the short-chain fatty acid propionate. Supplementing the levels of Bacteroides in an animal model of CF is associated with reduced systemic inflammation and reduction in the relative abundance of the opportunistically pathogenic group Escherichia/Shigella in the gut. Taken together, these data demonstrate a key role for Bacteroides and microbially produced propionate in modulating inflammation, gut microbial ecology, and the gut-lung axis in cystic fibrosis. These data support the role of Bacteroides as a potential probiotic in CF.

An in vitro medium for modeling gut dysbiosis associated with cystic fibrosis.

The gut physiology of pediatric and adult persons with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) is altered relative to healthy persons. The CF gut is characterized, in part, as having excess mucus, increased fat content, acidic pH, increased inflammation, increased antibiotic perturbation, and the potential for increased oxygen availability. These physiological differences shift nutritional availability and the local environment for intestinal microbes, thus likely driving significant changes in microbial metabolism, colonization, and competition with other microbes. The impact of any specific change in this physiological landscape is difficult to parse using human or animal studies. Thus, we have developed a novel culture medium representative of the CF gut environment, inclusive of all the aforementioned features. This medium, called CF-MiPro, maintains CF gut microbiome communities, while significantly shifting nonCF gut microbiome communities toward a CF-like microbial profile, characterized by low Bacteroidetes and high Proteobacteria abundance. This medium is able to maintain this culture composition for up to 5 days of passage. Additionally, microbial communities passaged in CF-MiPro produce significantly less immunomodulatory short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), including propionate and butyrate, than communities passaged in MiPro, a culture medium representative of healthy gut physiology, confirming not only a shift in microbial composition but also altered community function. Our results support the potential for this in vitro culture medium as a new tool for the study of CF gut dysbiosis. IMPORTANCE Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease that disrupts ion transport at mucosal surfaces, leading to mucus accumulation and altered physiology of both the lungs and the intestines, among other organs, with the resulting altered environment contributing to an imbalance of microbial communities. Culture media representative of the CF airway have been developed and validated; however, no such medium exists for modeling the CF intestine. Here, we develop and validate a first-generation culture medium inclusive of features that are altered in the CF colon. Our findings suggest this novel medium, called CF-MiPro, as a maintenance medium for CF gut microbiome samples and a flexible tool for studying key drivers of CF-associated gut dysbiosis.

Association of maternal education, neighborhood deprivation, and racial segregation with gestational age at birth by maternal race/ethnicity and United States Census region in the ECHO cohorts.

Background: In the United States, disparities in gestational age at birth by maternal race, ethnicity, and geography are theorized to be related, in part, to differences in individual- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES). Yet, few studies have examined their combined effects or whether associations vary by maternal race and ethnicity and United States Census region. Methods: We assembled data from 34 cohorts in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program representing 10,304 participants who delivered a liveborn, singleton infant from 2000 through 2019. We investigated the combined associations of maternal education level, neighborhood deprivation index (NDI), and Index of Concentration at the Extremes for racial residential segregation (ICERace) on gestational weeks at birth using linear regression and on gestational age at birth categories (preterm, early term, post-late term relative to full term) using multinomial logistic regression. Results: After adjustment for NDI and ICERace, gestational weeks at birth was significantly lower among those with a high school diploma or less (-0.31 weeks, 95% CI: -0.44, -0.18), and some college (-0.30 weeks, 95% CI: -0.42, -0.18) relative to a master's degree or higher. Those with a high school diploma or less also had an increased odds of preterm (aOR 1.59, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.10) and early term birth (aOR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.51). In adjusted models, NDI quartile and ICERace quartile were not associated with gestational weeks at birth. However, higher NDI quartile (most deprived) associated with an increased odds of early term and late term birth, and lower ICERace quartile (least racially privileged) associated with a decreased odds of late or post-term birth. When stratifying by region, gestational weeks at birth was lower among those with a high school education or less and some college only among those living in the Northeast or Midwest. When stratifying by race and ethnicity, gestational weeks at birth was lower among those with a high school education or less only for the non-Hispanic White category. Conclusion: In this study, maternal education was consistently associated with shorter duration of pregnancy and increased odds of preterm birth, including in models adjusted for NDI and ICERace.

Machine-learning analysis of cross-study samples according to the gut microbiome in 12 infant cohorts.

IMPORTANCE: There are challenges in merging microbiome data from diverse research groups due to the intricate and multifaceted nature of such data. To address this, we utilized a combination of machine-learning (ML) models to analyze 16S sequencing data from a substantial set of gut microbiome samples, sourced from 12 distinct infant cohorts that were gathered prospectively. Our initial focus was on the mode of delivery due to its prior association with changes in infant gut microbiomes. Through ML analysis, we demonstrated the effective merging and comparison of various gut microbiome data sets, facilitating the identification of robust microbiome biomarkers applicable across varied study populations.

Prenatal exposure to metal mixtures and lung function in children from the New Hampshire birth cohort study.

Prenatal exposure to metals/metalloids, even at common US population levels, may pose risks to fetal health, and affect children's lung function. Yet, the combined effects of simultaneous prenatal exposures on children's lung function remain largely unexplored. This study analyzed 11 metals (As speciation, Cd, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Zn) in maternal urine during weeks 24-28 of gestation and evaluated lung function, including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration (FEV1), in 316 US mother-child pairs at around age 7. We used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum regression (WQSR), and multiple linear regression to examine the association between metal mixture exposure and children's lung function, adjusting for maternal smoking, child age, sex, and height. In BKMR models assessing combined exposure effects, limited evidence of metal non-linearity or interactions was found. Nevertheless, Co, As species, and Pb showed a negative association, while Mo exhibited a positive association with children's FVC and FEV1, with other metals held constant at their medians. The weighted index, from WQSR analysis assessing the cumulative impact of all metals, highlighted prenatal Mo with the highest positive weight, and Co, As, and Sb with the most substantial negative weights on children's FVC and FEV1. Urinary Co and Pb were negatively associated with FVC (ß = -0.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-0.18; -0.01) and ß = -0.07, 95% CI (-0.13; 0.00), respectively). Co was also negatively associated with FEV1 (ß = -0.09, 95% CI (-0.18; 0.00). There was a negative association between As and FVC, and a positive association between Mo and both FVC and FEV1, though with wide confidence intervals. Our findings suggest that prenatal trace element exposures may impact children's lung function, emphasizing the importance of reducing toxic exposures and maintaining adequate nutrient levels.

Bacterial Modification of the Association Between Arsenic and Autism-Related Social Behavior Scores.

Arsenic is related to neurodevelopmental outcomes and is associated with the composition of the gut microbiome. Data on the modifying role of the microbiome are limited. We probed suggestive relationships between arsenic and social behaviors to quantify the modifying role of the infant gut microbiome. We followed children for whom arsenic concentrations were quantified in 6-week-old toenail clippings. Scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2), which measures autism-related social behaviors, were provided by caregivers when the child was approximately 3 years of age. Metagenomic sequencing was performed on infant stools collected at 6 weeks and 1 year of age. To evaluate modification by the top ten most abundant species and functional pathways, we modeled SRS-2 total T-scores as a function of arsenic concentrations, microbiome features dichotomized at their median, and an interaction between exposure and the microbiome, adjusting for other trace elements and sociodemographic characteristics. As compared to the standardized population (SRS-2 T-scores = 50), participants in our study had lower SRS-2 scores (n = 78, mean = 44, SD = 5).The relative abundances of several functional pathways identified in 6-week stool samples modified the arsenic-SRS-2 association, including the pathways of valine and isoleucine biosynthesis; we observed no association among those with high relative abundance of each pathway [ß = - 0.67 (95% CI - 1.46, 0.12)], and an adverse association [ß = 1.67 (95% CI 0.3, 3.04), pinteraction= 0.05] among infants with low relative abundance. Our findings indicate the infant gut microbiome may alter neurodevelopmental susceptibility to environmental exposures.

Estimate of the incidence of PANDAS and PANS in 3 primary care populations.

Objective: Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) are presumed autoimmune complications of infection or other instigating events. To determine the incidence of these disorders, we performed a retrospective review for the years 2017-2019 at three academic medical centers. Methods: We identified the population of children receiving well-child care at each institution. Potential cases of PANS and PANDAS were identified by including children age 3-12 years at the time they received one of five new diagnoses: avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, other specified eating disorder, separation anxiety disorder of childhood, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or other specified disorders involving an immune mechanism, not elsewhere classified. Tic disorders was not used as a diagnostic code to identify cases. Data were abstracted; cases were classified as PANDAS or PANS if standard definitions were met. Results: The combined study population consisted of 95,498 individuals. The majority were non-Hispanic Caucasian (85%), 48% were female and the mean age was 7.1 (SD 3.1) years. Of 357 potential cases, there were 13 actual cases [mean age was 6.0 (SD 1.8) years, 46% female and 100% non-Hispanic Caucasian]. The estimated annual incidence of PANDAS/PANS was 1/11,765 for children between 3 and 12 years with some variation between different geographic areas. Conclusion: Our results indicate that PANDAS/PANS is a rare disorder with substantial heterogeneity across geography and time. A prospective investigation of the same question is warranted.

An In Vitro Medium for Modeling Gut Dysbiosis Associated with Cystic Fibrosis.

The gut physiology of pediatric and adult persons with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) is altered relative to healthy persons. The CF gut is characterized, in part, as having excess mucus, increased fat content, acidic pH, increased inflammation, increased antibiotic perturbation and the potential for increased oxygen availability. These physiological differences shift nutritional availability and the local environment for intestinal microbes, thus likely driving significant changes in microbial metabolism, colonization and competition with other microbes. The impact of any specific change in this physiological landscape is difficult to parse using human or animal studies. Thus, we have developed a novel culture medium representative of the CF gut environment, inclusive of all the aforementioned features. This medium, called CF-MiPro, maintains CF gut microbiome communities, while significantly shifting non-CF gut microbiome communities toward a CF-like microbial profile, characterized by low Bacteroidetes and high Proteobacteria abundance. This medium is able to maintain this culture composition for up to 5 days of passage. Additionally, microbial communities passaged in CF-MiPro produce significantly less immunomodulatory short chain fatty acids (SCFA), including propionate and butyrate, than communities passaged in MiPro, a culture medium representative of healthy gut physiology, confirming not only a shift in microbial composition but altered community function. Our results support the potential for this in vitro culture medium as a new tool for the study of gut dysbiosis in CF.

Development of the intestinal microbiome in cystic fibrosis in early life.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a heritable disease that causes altered physiology at mucosal sites; these changes result in chronic infections in the lung, significant gastrointestinal complications as well as dysbiosis of the gut microbiome, although the latter has been less well explored. Here, we describe the longitudinal development of the gut microbiome in a cohort of children with CF (cwCF) from birth through early childhood (0-4 years of age) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of stool samples as a surrogate for the gut microbiota. Similar to healthy populations, alpha diversity of the gut microbiome increases significantly with age, but diversity plateaus at ~2 years of age for this CF cohort. Several taxa that have been associated with dysbiosis in CF change with age toward a more healthy-like composition; notable exceptions include Akkermansia, which decreases with age, and Blautia, which increases with age. We also examined the relative abundance and prevalence of nine taxa associated with CF lung disease, several of which persist across early life, highlighting the possibility of the lung being seeded directly from the gut early in life. Finally, we applied the Crohn's Dysbiosis Index to each sample, and found that high Crohn's-associated dysbiosis early in life (<2 years) was associated with significantly lower Bacteroides in samples collected from 2 to 4 years of age. Together, these data comprise an observational study that describes the longitudinal development of the CF-associated gut microbiota and suggest that early markers associated with inflammatory bowel disease may shape the later gut microbiota of cwCF. IMPORTANCE Cystic fibrosis is a heritable disease that disrupts ion transport at mucosal surfaces, causing a buildup of mucus and dysregulation of microbial communities in both the lungs and the intestines. Persons with CF are known to have dysbiotic gut microbial communities, but the development of these communities over time beginning at birth has not been thoroughly studied. Here, we describe an observation study following the development of the gut microbiome of cwCF throughout the first 4 years of life, during the critical window of both gut microbiome and immune development. Our findings indicate the possibility of the gut microbiota as a reservoir of airway pathogens and a surprisingly early indication of a microbiota associated with inflammatory bowel disease.

Latent Class Analysis of Prenatal Substance Exposure and Child Behavioral Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To predict behavioral disruptions in middle childhood, we identified latent classes of prenatal substance use. STUDY DESIGN: As part of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program, we harmonized prenatal substance use data and child behavior outcomes from 2195 women and their 6- to 11-year-old children across 10 cohorts in the US and used latent class-adjusted regression models to predict parent-rated child behavior. RESULTS: Three latent classes fit the data: low use (90.5%; n = 1986), primarily using no substances; licit use (6.6%; n = 145), mainly using nicotine with a moderate likelihood of using alcohol and marijuana; and illicit use (2.9%; n = 64), predominantly using illicit substances along with a moderate likelihood of using licit substances. Children exposed to primarily licit substances in utero had greater levels of externalizing behavior than children exposed to low or no substances (P = .001, d = .64). Children exposed to illicit substances in utero showed small but significant elevations in internalizing behavior than children exposed to low or no substances (P < .001, d = .16). CONCLUSIONS: The differences in prenatal polysubstance use may increase risk for specific childhood problem behaviors; however, child outcomes appeared comparably adverse for both licit and illicit polysubstance exposure. We highlight the need for similar multicohort, large-scale studies to examine childhood outcomes based on prenatal substance use profiles.

Persistent delay in maturation of the developing gut microbiota in infants with cystic fibrosis.

The healthy human infant gut microbiome undergoes stereotypical changes in taxonomic composition between birth and maturation to an adult-like stable state. During this time, extensive communication between microbiota and the host immune system contributes to health status later in life. Although there are many reported associations between microbiota compositional alterations and disease in adults, less is known about how microbiome development is altered in pediatric diseases. One pediatric disease linked to altered gut microbiota composition is cystic fibrosis (CF), a multi-organ genetic disease involving impaired chloride secretion across epithelia and heightened inflammation both in the gut and at other body sites. Here, we use shotgun metagenomics to profile the strain-level composition and developmental dynamics of the infant fecal microbiota from several CF and non-CF longitudinal cohorts spanning from birth to greater than 36 months of life. We identify a set of keystone species whose prevalence and abundance reproducibly define microbiota development in early life in non-CF infants, but are missing or decreased in relative abundance in infants with CF. The consequences of these CF-specific differences in gut microbiota composition and dynamics are a delayed pattern of microbiota maturation, persistent entrenchment in a transitional developmental phase, and subsequent failure to attain an adult-like stable microbiota. We also detect the increased relative abundance of oral-derived bacteria and higher levels of fungi in CF, features that are associated with decreased gut bacterial density in inflammatory bowel diseases. Our results define key differences in the gut microbiota during ontogeny in CF and suggest the potential for directed therapies to overcome developmental delays in microbiota maturation.

Human milk-associated bacterial communities associate with the infant gut microbiome over the first year of life.

Introduction: Microbial communities inhabiting the human infant gut are important for immune system development and lifelong health. One critical exposure affecting the bacterial colonization of the infant gut is consumption of human milk, which contains diverse microbial communities and prebiotics. We hypothesized that human milk-associated microbial profiles are associated with those of the infant gut. Methods: Maternal-infant dyads enrolled in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (n = 189 dyads) contributed breast milk and infant stool samples collected approximately at 6 weeks, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months postpartum (n = 572 samples). Microbial DNA was extracted from milk and stool and the V4-V5 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was sequenced. Results: Clustering analysis identified three breast milk microbiome types (BMTs), characterized by differences in Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and microbial diversity. Four 6-week infant gut microbiome types (6wIGMTs) were identified, differing in abundances of Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Streptococcus, and Escherichia/Shigella, while two 12-month IGMTs (12mIGMTs) differed primarily by Bacteroides presence. At 6 weeks, BMT was associated with 6wIGMT (Fisher's exact test value of p = 0.039); this association was strongest among infants delivered by Cesarean section (Fisher's exact test value of p = 0.0028). The strongest correlations between overall breast milk and infant stool microbial community structures were observed when comparing breast milk samples to infant stool samples collected at a subsequent time point, e.g., the 6-week breast milk microbiome associated with the 6-month infant gut microbiome (Mantel test Z-statistic = 0.53, value of p = 0.001). Streptoccous and Veillonella species abundance were correlated in 6-week milk and infant stool, and 4- and 6-month milk Pantoea species were associated with infant stool Lachnospiraceae genera at 9 and 12 months. Discussion: We identified clusters of human milk and infant stool microbial communities that were associated in maternal-infant dyads at 6 weeks of life and found that milk microbial communities were more strongly associated with infant gut microbial communities in infants delivered operatively and after a lag period. These results suggest that milk microbial communities have a long-term effect on the infant gut microbiome both through sharing of microbes and other molecular mechanisms.

Early-life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and infant gut microbial composition.

Human milk is rich in essential nutrients and immune-activating compounds but is also a source of toxicants including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Evidence suggests that immune-related effects of PFAS may, in part, be due to alterations of the microbiome. We aimed to identify the association between milk PFAS exposure and the infant gut microbiome. Methods: PFAS [perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA)] were quantified in milk from ~6 weeks postpartum using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. A molar sum (ΣPFAS) was calculated. Caregivers collected infant stool samples at 6 weeks (n = 116) and/or 1 year postpartum (n = 119). Stool DNA underwent metagenomic sequencing. We estimated the association of PFAS with diversity and relative abundances of species with linear regression. Single- and multi-PFAS models adjusted for potential confounders in complete case analyses and with imputed missing covariate data for 6-week and 1-year microbiomes separately. We assessed sensitive populations with stratification. Results: PFOS and PFOA were detected in 94% and 83% of milk samples, respectively. PFOS was associated with increased diversity at 6 weeks among infants fed exclusively human milk [ß = 0.24 per PFOS doubling, (95% CI = 0.03, 0.45), P = 0.03] and born to primiparous mothers [ß = 0.37 (0.06, 0.67), P = 0.02]. Estimates were strongest in multi-PFAS models and among complete cases. ΣPFAS was associated with Bacteroides vulgatus relative abundance at 1 year [(ß = -2.34% per doubling (-3.63, -1.05), FDR q = 0.099]. Conclusions: PFAS may increase infant gut microbiome diversity and alter the relative abundance of biologically relevant bacteria. Additional analyses may identify related health outcomes.

Umbilical cord blood immune cell profiles in relation to the infant gut microbiome.

During infancy, the interplay between the developing immune system and the microbiome is critical. We examined whether blood immune cell composition at birth in the umbilical cord (inferred by DNA methylation profiling) related to the early infant gut microbiome (assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing) among 73 infants in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. We used generalized estimating equations and controlled for false discovery rate to select microbial taxa associated with immune cells. We found associations between the infant gut microbiome and immune cells, including a positive association between B cells and Enterobacter, a negative association between natural killer cells and Bifidobacterium, and a positive association between granulocytes and Bifidobacterium. Our findings give clues that immune profiles at the time of birth as measured in umbilical cord blood are associated with the development of the gut microbiome in early life.