Influence of 2'-Fucosyllactose on the Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Activity of Fecal Cultures from Breastfed and Formula-Fed Infants at Two Months of Age.

Alicja M Nogacka,Clara G De Los Reyes-Gavilán,Nuria Salazar,Laura Mantecón,Naghmeh Nikpoor,Silvia Arboleya,Jeremie Auger,Gonzalo Solís,Miguel Gueimonde,Isabel Cuesta,Thomas A Tompkins

doi:10.3390/microorganisms9071478

Abstract

Although breast milk is considered the gold standard of nutrition for infant feeding, some circumstances may make breastfeeding difficult. Several commercial milk preparations include synthetic human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) in their composition. However, the effect of HMOs on the establishment of the intestinal microbiota remains incompletely understood. Independent batch fermentations were performed with feces from six full-term infant donors of two months of age (three breastfed and three formula-fed, exclusively) in the presence of 2′fucosyllactose (2′FL), one of the most abundant HMOs in human milk. Microbiota composition was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing at baseline and at 24 h of incubation. The 2′FL consumption, gas accumulation, and levels of different metabolites were determined by chromatography. Microbiota profiles at baseline were clearly influenced by the mode of feeding and by the intrinsic ability of microbiotas to degrade 2′FL. The 2′FL degradation rate clustered fecal cultures into slow and fast degraders, regardless of feeding type, this being a determinant factor influencing the evolution of the microbiota during incubation, although the low number of donors precludes drawing sound conclusions. More studies are needed to decipher the extent to which the early intervention with HMOs could influence the microbiota as a function of its ability to utilize 2′FL.

Highlights

Microbial colonization of the gut starts immediately after birth and provides a stimulus for the development of the intestine, the modulation of the immune system, and the physiological homeostasis of the neonate [1]
We initially choose the six donors for our work in an equilibrated way by selecting three exclusively breastfed and three exclusively formula-fed infants, in order to cover the microbiota variability related to the mode of feeding and to generate enough data supporting conclusions obtained from fecal cultures
A clear bimodal distribution of fecal inocula was observed as a function of the ability of their microbiotas to degrade 20 fucosyllactose (20 FL) during in vitro fermentation, segregating donor samples in two groups: fast degraders and slow degraders

Summary

Introduction

Microbial colonization of the gut starts immediately after birth and provides a stimulus for the development of the intestine, the modulation of the immune system, and the physiological homeostasis of the neonate [1]. The gut microbiota in early life evolves continuously and is influenced by several factors such as the mode of feeding (mother’s milk vs formula milk). Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a group of fucosylated, sialylated, and neutral oligosaccharides with diverse structures, which are abundant in human milk [2,3]. HMOs contribute to the correct establishment of the intestinal microbiota in neonates [6]. These molecules are resistant to hydrolysis by intestinal enzymes and reach the colon where they can be metabolized by the intestinal

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