The Scientist - USA (2021-12)

VOL. 35 ISSUE 2 | THE SCIENTIST A

ofchildhood disease,such asatopicdermatitisandfoodallergy?
Forexample, the introductionoffspecificbeneficialmicrobes such
asBifidobacterium infantis(B.infantis)and/orglycans^7 directs
major microbiomeshiftsat birth and weaning.^8 Researchers are
investigatingwhetherrestoring thedisappearing microbeB. infantis^7
in infantsor replacing syntheticglycanscanimprove overall health
and prevent diseaseby modulatingthegutmicrobiota.
Thenext questionis,whatarethedefininghallmarksoffhealthy
immunoregulatory developmentinearlylife?^9 The gutmicrobiome
trainstheimmune systemtoavoiddeleterious responsesto
stimuli,but itis unclear what ahealthy,trainedimmunesystem
lookslike.Forexample,researchersfoundthatthemicrobiome
promotes protectiveimmunecell phenotypes thatdrive tolerance
off food allergens.However, theprecise processes andmechanisms
drivingprotection,alongwith howandwhentheyfunction,remains
unclear.10,1^1 Characterizing healthyimmunoregulatory development
willhelp identifywhatcouldbemonitored todetermine whether
immunetraining-centered approaches aretaking effect.ect.
Finally,researchersare lookingfor timepointsiniinnfant microbiomeom
developmentthat mightserveaskeyinterventioionalwwindowsws. Thehe
infantmicrobiomeundergoes dramatictransfoormationnsatmmajorr
developmental milestones,such as weaningaandn intntrorductctionoof
complementaryfood or with exposureto antibiotictics.^12 A dysbioticbiot
gut microbiomeat thesepivotaltransitionsmay disprpropoportionalort ly
contributetofuturesusceptibility to thedevelopmentofallergy
or autoimmunity.Researchers haveobserved this inmice,where
inhibitingthetypicalmurine intestinalmicrobiota-inducedbiota immune
response upon weaning ledtoincreaseded susceptibilbilitiyto colitis,
allergic inflammation,andcancerlaterrinliffee.^13 Bestotowingnga healthy
infant gutmicrobiomebiomeatthese keywinndowwsmmayyhavvethee potential
toabrogatetthhe developmementoffchildhooodddisisease..

Prevention, Interception, and Cure
TheWWDAAaimmssto hellpp changen hheaeaaltlthhcarreeffrorm“diagnosenos andndttrerat”
to “preventiiono,interceptioon,n anddcure.”cureurr Throughinitiativessuch as
theHBI,theWWDAWDA strivesstriv to bettettr understnd and how earlychildhood
offersa uniquewindowfordetectie ngdiseadis seriskandan interveningenin
appropriately.HBI aimstodeliverewaysto change c thethe trajectoryctoryofof
pediatric healtthhtotoo ultimately ulti giveeevery childdthet healthiestststaartrttiiinnn
lifeand hopefullyypreventpreve c childhoodhildhooood andeven aaddultdisseeassese.

References

1. O.I. Iweala et al., “Food allergy,” Curr Gastroenterol Rep, 20(5):17, 2018.


2. ',‘T\Nड़XPF4QX_J\XPFJYFQѦ.SHWJFXNSLHTTHHZWWJSHJTKFIINYNTSFQFZYTNRRZSJ
   disorders at diabetes type 1 onset among children and adolescents diagnosed in years
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3. P.J. Turner et al., “Global trends in anaphylaxis epidemiology and clinical implications,”
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4. T. Gaufin et al., “The importance of the microbiome in pediatrics and pediatric infectious
   diseases,” Curr Opin Pediatr, 30(1):117-24, 2018.


5. I. Yang et al., “The infant microbiome: Implications for infant health and neurocognitive
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6. E.D. Sonnenburg, J.L. Sonnenburg, “The ancestral and industrialized gut microbiota and
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7. B.M. Henrick et al., “Bifidobacteria-mediated immune system imprinting early in life,”
   Cell, 184(15):3884-98.e11, 2021.


8. S. McKeen et al., “Glycan utilisation and function in the microbiome of weaning infants,”
   Microorganisms, 7(7):190, 2019.


9. A. Olin et al., “Stereotypic immune system development in newborn children,” Cell,
   174(5):1277-1292.e14, 2018.


10. S. Bunyavanich, M.C. Berin, “Food allergy and the microbiome: Current understandings
    and future directions,” J Allergy Clin Immunol, 144(6):1468-77, 2019.


11. E. Stephen-Victor et al., "Dietary and microbial determinants in food allergy," Immunity,
    53(2):277-89, 2020.


12. R.C. Robertson et al., “The Human microbiome and child growth - first 1000 days and
    beyond,” Trends Microbiol, 27(2):131-47, 2019.


13. Z. Al Nabhani et al., “A weaning reaction to microbiota is required for resistance to
    immunopathologies in the adult,” Immunity, 50(5):1276-88.e5, 2019.

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