Project description:Host immune responses during late-onset sepsis (LOS) in very preterm infants are poorly characterised due to a complex and dynamic pathophysiology and challenges in working with small available blood volumes. We present here an unbiased transcriptomic analysis of whole peripheral blood from very preterm infants at the time of LOS. RNA-Seq was performed on peripheral blood samples (6 – 29 days postnatal age) taken at the time of suspected LOS from very preterm infants <30 weeks gestational age. Infants were classified based on blood culture positivity and elevated C-reactive protein concentrations as having confirmed LOS (n=5), possible LOS (n=4) or no LOS (n=9). Bioinformatics and statistical analyses performed included pathway over-representation and protein-protein interaction network analyses. Plasma cytokine immunoassays were performed to validate differentially expressed cytokine pathways.The blood leukocyte transcriptional responses of infants with confirmed LOS differed significantly from infants without LOS (1,317 differentially expressed genes). However, infants with possible LOS could not be distinguished from infants with no LOS or confirmed LOS. Transcriptional alterations associated with LOS included genes involved in pathogen recognition (mainly TLR pathways), cytokine signalling (both pro-inflammatory and inhibitory responses), immune and haematological regulation (including cell death pathways), and metabolism (altered cholesterol biosynthesis). At the transcriptional-level cytokine responses during LOS were characterised by over-representation of IFN-α/β, IFN-γ, IL-1 and IL-6 signalling pathways and up-regulation of genes for inflammatory responses. Infants with confirmed LOS had significantly higher levels of IL-1α and IL-6 in their plasma. Blood responses in very preterm infants with LOS are characterised by altered host immune responses that appear to reflect unbalanced immuno-metabolic homeostasis.
Project description:Bacterial sepsis is associated with high morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. However, diagnosis of sepsis and identification of the causative agent remains challenging. Our aim was to determine genome-wide expression profiles of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with and without bacterial sepsis and assess differences.
Project description:We conducted a prospective cohort study with independent Discovery and Validation cohorts, to formulate predictive biomarkers for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in extremely preterm infants. Tracheal aspirate samples were collected at birth from extremely preterm infants. Exosomes were extracted from tracheal aspirates and total RNA was extracted from these exosomes from individual samples. miRNA profiling for all ~ 800 miRNAs was conducted on each sample by nanostring platform. This study found that a distinct airway exosomal miRNA sigrature at birth (decreased miR 876-3p) predicts future development of severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in extremely preterm infants.
Project description:Preterm infants are highly susceptible to sustained lung inflammation, which may be triggered by exposure to multiple environmental cues such as supplemental oxygen (O2) and infections. The underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. The hypothesis of this study is that dysregulated macrophage activation is a key feature leading to inflammation-mediated development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants.
Cord blood samples of preterm infants (n=14) and term infants (n=19) as well as peripheral blood from healthy adults (n=17) were collected. Age-dependent differences in immune responses of monocyte-derived Mä from preterm infants were characterized and compared to term infants and adults after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure.
Project description:Impact of small molecules from different microbial gut community types on gene expression from preterm intestinal derived organoids
Project description:This study measured the cytokine, cellular and transcriptomic response to RSV and compared these between preterm and term infants CBMC responses