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Review
. 2018 Jul 17;6(3):56.
doi: 10.3390/medsci6030056.

Gut Microbiota and Mucosal Immunity in the Neonate

Majda Dzidic  1   2 , Alba Boix-Amorós  3   4 , Marta Selma-Royo  5 , Alex Mira  6 , Maria Carmen Collado  7
Affiliations
Review

Gut Microbiota and Mucosal Immunity in the Neonate

Majda Dzidic et al. Med Sci (Basel). .

Abstract

Gut microbiota colonization is a complex, dynamic, and step-wise process that is in constant development during the first years of life. This microbial settlement occurs in parallel with the maturation of the immune system, and alterations during this period, due to environmental and host factors, are considered to be potential determinants of health-outcomes later in life. Given that host⁻microbe interactions are mediated by the immune system response, it is important to understand the close relationship between immunity and the microbiota during birth, lactation, and early infancy. This work summarizes the evidence to date on early gut microbiota colonization, and how it influences the maturation of the infant immune system and health during the first 1000 days of life. This review will also address the influence of perinatal antibiotic intake and the importance of delivery mode and breastfeeding for an appropriate development of gut immunity.

Keywords: antibiotics; breastfeeding; gut immunity; gut microbiota; postnatal immune development; probiotics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Major events occurring in immune system and gut development. During pregnancy, the T helper cells of the maternal immune system are skewed towards T helper (Th)2-type immunity, to maintain the tolerance of the developing fetus. The mother here contributes with tolerogenic mediators through the placenta (including antibodies and growth factors), thus instructing fetal immune system development. However, during the first weeks and months of life, infants subsequently increase Th1 activity, thus restoring the balance of helper T cells. Without this shift, Th2 persistence might be associated with atopic diseases including asthma. While Th cells play an important key role in the direction of immune responses, mainly neonatally, regulatory T cells suppress the activation and development of naïve T cells towards Th types, thus maintaining the mucosal homeostasis both during the pregnancy and the infancy period [88].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Selected microbial and immunological factors in breast milk (BM). sIg: secretory immunoglobulin, IL: interleukin, TGF: transforming growth factor, LPS: lipopolysaccharide.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Key factors influencing microbiota development and maturation of the immune system in early life. BM: breast milk; and HMO: human milk oligosaccharides.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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