Early life inter-kingdom interactions shape the immunological environment of the airways.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is increasing evidence that the airway microbiome plays a key role in the establishment of respiratory health by interacting with the developing immune system early in life. While it has become clear that bacteria are involved in this process, there is a knowledge gap concerning the role of fungi. Moreover, the inter-kingdom interactions that influence immune development remain unknown. In this prospective exploratory human study, we aimed to determine early post-natal microbial and immunological features of the upper airways in 121 healthy newborns.

Results

We found that the oropharynx and nasal cavity represent distinct ecological niches for bacteria and fungi. Breastfeeding correlated with changes in microbiota composition of oropharyngeal samples with th

SUBMITTER: Pattaroni C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8862481 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature