The relationship between infant feeding types, gut microbiome, intestinal inflammation, and neurodevelopment in a neonatal piglet model.

BACKGROUND

The influences of nutrition on the infant's developing gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome, intestinal tract, and brain is unclear. Human milk (HM) is associated with beneficial immune and cognitive development compared with infant formula (IF). This study used a neonatal piglet model to determine the effects of infant feeding exposures (HM vs IF) on the GI microbiome, intestinal inflammation, and brain oligodendrocyte maturation.

METHODS

Six pairs of piglets received HM or IF for 28 days. Fecal samples were collected weekly and GI regions (jejunum, ileum, and colon) and brains were harvested at necropsy. Fecal microbiome composition was determined by 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing. Intestinal inflammation was assessed via quantification of intestinal interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and fecal calprotectin. Neurodevelopment was evaluated by quantifying mature and immature oligodendrocytes in gray and white matter.

RESULTS

Bacterial community composition differed between feeding groups (P < 0.002) and over time (P = 0.001). Various highly abundant genera were associated with changes over time (P < 0.05) and only Escherichia-Shigella was associated with feeding group by time interactions (P < 0.05). No differences were found in intestinal inflammatory markers between feeding types, but mature oligodendrocytes in white matter were higher in HM-fed piglets (P = 0.004). Various intestinal inflammatory markers and relatively highly abundant genera were significantly associated.

CONCLUSION

Piglet fecal bacterial compositions differed by feeding group and over time, with several relatively highly abundant genera associated with intestinal inflammatory markers. Additionally, HM may support proper white matter development. Future research should investigate mechanisms underlying these relationships.