Project description:Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are highly diverse complex carbohydrates secreted in human milk. HMOs are indigestible by the infant and instead are metabolized by bifidobacteria in the infant gut microbiome to produce molecules that promote infant health and development. 2´fucosyllactose (2´FL) is an abundant HMO and is utilized by Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, a predominant member of the infant gut microbiome. Currently, there is not a scientific consensus on how or if bifidobacteria metabolize the fucose portion of 2´FL or free fucose. This proteomic analysis was conducted in order to characterize the metabolic pathway by which B. infantis utilizes fucose.
Project description:Microbiota assembly in the infant gut is influenced by time and duration of dietary exposure to breast-milk, infant formula and solid foods.
Project description:The use of 3D human intestinal organoid (HIO) models is growing in biomedical research due to their ability to mimic human tissue for studying diseases, developing biomarkers, and testing therapies. However, current models of the infant gut are limited, focusing mostly on necrotizing enterocolitis, leaving gaps in our understanding of healthy infant gut development. Additionally, achieving full differentiation and maturation of secretory cells, especially Paneth cells, remains challenging. Our studies suggest IL-22 can enhance maturation, though its effects on infant enteroids remain unexplored. In this study, infant-derived ileal enteroids were cultured with Th17 supernatant or IL-22, and their development was assessed via immunofluorescence staining and RNA sequencing. Our results showed that neonatal Th17 cell-derived IL-22 supported the growth and maturation of infant enteroids, including Paneth cell differentiation. IL-22 induced gene expression changes related to cellular identity, maturation, immune response, and barrier function, as revealed by RNAseq analysis.
Project description:Metagenomic and targeted meta-proteomics were used to investigate the mycobiome profile of the infant gut to identify proteins involved during atopic dermatitis manifestation in a Thai population-based birth cohort.