The Scientist - USA (2021-12)

(Antfer) #1

An Early Start: The Impact of the Microbiome on Pediatric


Development in the First Year of Life


Dirk Gevers, Ph.D., Global Head, Microbiome Solutions, World Without Disease Accelerator
Richard Insel, M.D, Global Head, Healthy Baby Initiative, World Without Disease Accelerator


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heincidence andprevalenceofpediatric immunnity-reelatetedd
conditions—fromfoodallergytotype 1 diabeetes—hahass
increasedoverrecentdecades.1-^3 Researchers,clinicinicians,
andddpolicymakerspol aretryingto identifypotential underlyingcauses
foforr tthisphenomenop nto prevent andintercept these diseases.In
papaprtiiccular, theWorldorldWWitWitithhoutDiseaseAccelerator(WWDA),anR&D
grgrrouprououppppppwwwititithhhhihnJanssen Researces hand Development,LLC,oneof
ththeeeJanassenss Pharmaceuticale alCompaniesofJohnson&Johnsonon,
ispuruursuingsss sciencerelataedto t theinfantgut microbiota,bioiota,wwhichhichhiissss
thoughtghh toplaya key roloeinthe developmed nt off pediatricpediatrd allergicallergrgc
andandautoimmunauauutotooimmmmunm eediseases.di e


Starting with a Single Step
TheTheinfann t miiciciicroobibiombiomoomo eiiissshahapepd bby externalexte factorsctorss that that begin
in uteruu ro.^4 TThesTThheheheseeeffaactorssiinclul dee modeoeof deliverde y, maternaaer l aandandnd
pediatricediattricccdiediett comcompoppoposiposisisittitionioonnnn((e.g.,e.g.g., b breasrastmilmk vs.cow’s milkmilkmilkik formula ff )
ananddiversityty,aandndaannntibioooticexpoposurree.^5 SSocietalococieieetattatalpressurespessursur may
alasoimpactmicrobiommemee healthhhealthh h,asscchildhihhillddrenbbororniiniindnusutrriaialized
nationspresentlessspeciesspeccieciesdiversitydi yyintthheirggutffloloora.^66 TheT infantfannt


micrrobiomematuresuntil roughlytwotothreeyears offage,after
whichic thegut microbiotatakesonadultproperties.^4 Microbiome
disruptiondi ordysfunctionalcolonizationduring infancyislinkedtoo
immune dysregulationand increased riskoffdisease.Children bornorn
via cesarean sectionn or owho arenotbreast fed, for example,showsh
elevated risksfor asthmmaa andallergicdisease.^4
TheWWDAbringstogetherher research andexternal collaboborations
todiscoverand develop novelel innovations innnnnov aimedat promotiotngg healthhealth
anaddecreasingdisease.TThe WWDA,AA throttthroughoughitsits HealthyHealthy BabyBBBaabyyInitiative
(HBII)), isistargetingtarg threee majjoor quequequeststsiooonsnsns ssurroundingg tthepotentialp tial ooff
pepediatric microbiomeobiomemodododululuuluattionnfororrpreveveventivevev pururposes.s.

How, What, and When?
TheheheWWDAWWAAAfirfst aimsaimaimmsmtotodetermined rmine hhowo certainai microbial microcrobia compopositionss
or microbesmiro soffinteresesestt inteteractwithit thee immunei unesysystememem t toopproprovidee
protectionprotectionteectionct nnnnaaagaagaggagaininstinst allallergierrgigicicccc ananndnd autoimmuneautoimmunetommne disorders.did d WhaWWhtt speci sspepeecificcificficc
mimicrobbiaialmmoleculuularlararppattpatattetetttrnnsssssormmeetetababolitesarere critcriticaalallaandn wwhaat
particularar ppathwaysareeee bbeeingaactivated??MMosostimportamportantly,antntn ccaaana
these mecchhaaninsmmssaandnd phephphephnomenaabebeee t taargea teteeeddd fororddececreasasingassingriskriskrisksk
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