Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life
Abstract Background Bifidobacterium colonization of the intestine is believed to have beneficial effects on our health from infancy throughout life. However, how particular members of the genus Bifidobacterium colonize the neonatal intestine and whether early-life bifidobacterial colonization affect...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Communications Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00977-6 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849238436107517952 |
|---|---|
| author | Yu Shimizu Yuki Yokoi Shuya Ohira Hirohisa Izumi Satomi Kawakami Miu Ihara Fuka Tabata Yasuhiro Takeda Takashi Kimura Koshi Nakamura Akiko Tamakoshi Tokiyoshi Ayabe Kiminori Nakamura |
| author_facet | Yu Shimizu Yuki Yokoi Shuya Ohira Hirohisa Izumi Satomi Kawakami Miu Ihara Fuka Tabata Yasuhiro Takeda Takashi Kimura Koshi Nakamura Akiko Tamakoshi Tokiyoshi Ayabe Kiminori Nakamura |
| author_sort | Yu Shimizu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Bifidobacterium colonization of the intestine is believed to have beneficial effects on our health from infancy throughout life. However, how particular members of the genus Bifidobacterium colonize the neonatal intestine and whether early-life bifidobacterial colonization affects establishment of Bifidobacterium-rich microbiota in later life remain unanswered. α-Defensin secreted from small intestinal Paneth cells elicits selective bactericidal activities that efficiently kill pathogens while hardly affecting commensals including Bifidobacterium in vitro, thus contributing to intestinal microbiota regulation. Methods One hundred forty-eight fecal samples were serially obtained from 33 children from postnatal 3–5 days to 3 years old, conducting a longitudinal cohort study of mothers and children living in Iwamizawa city, Hokkaido, Japan (SMILE Iwamizawa study). Microbiota composition and secretory level of α-defensin, human defensin 5 (HD5), were assessed to investigate the relationship between HD5 and Bifidobacterium colonization. Results We show that HD5 is associated with colonization of Bifidobacterium in early life from pre-weaning to weaning periods. Furthermore, high relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in the weaning period, which positively correlates with HD5 secretion, is associated with the establishment of Bifidobacterium-rich microbiota at 3 years old, when the intestinal microbiota matures. Conclusions This study suggests the importance of the weaning period in establishing long-lasting homeostasis interwoven with the host innate immunity and Bifidobacterium in the intestinal microbiota. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0a3e64cc2bd54a4089cd2db126389e46 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2730-664X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-0a3e64cc2bd54a4089cd2db126389e462025-08-20T04:01:36ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Medicine2730-664X2025-07-015111010.1038/s43856-025-00977-6Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later lifeYu Shimizu0Yuki Yokoi1Shuya Ohira2Hirohisa Izumi3Satomi Kawakami4Miu Ihara5Fuka Tabata6Yasuhiro Takeda7Takashi Kimura8Koshi Nakamura9Akiko Tamakoshi10Tokiyoshi Ayabe11Kiminori Nakamura12Innate Immunity Laboratory, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido UniversityInnate Immunity Laboratory, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido UniversityInnate Immunity Laboratory, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido UniversityR&D Division, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.R&D Division, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido UniversityR&D Division, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.R&D Division, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.Department of Public Health, Faculty and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido UniversityDepartment of Public Health and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the RyukyusDepartment of Public Health, Faculty and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido UniversityInnate Immunity Laboratory, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido UniversityInnate Immunity Laboratory, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido UniversityAbstract Background Bifidobacterium colonization of the intestine is believed to have beneficial effects on our health from infancy throughout life. However, how particular members of the genus Bifidobacterium colonize the neonatal intestine and whether early-life bifidobacterial colonization affects establishment of Bifidobacterium-rich microbiota in later life remain unanswered. α-Defensin secreted from small intestinal Paneth cells elicits selective bactericidal activities that efficiently kill pathogens while hardly affecting commensals including Bifidobacterium in vitro, thus contributing to intestinal microbiota regulation. Methods One hundred forty-eight fecal samples were serially obtained from 33 children from postnatal 3–5 days to 3 years old, conducting a longitudinal cohort study of mothers and children living in Iwamizawa city, Hokkaido, Japan (SMILE Iwamizawa study). Microbiota composition and secretory level of α-defensin, human defensin 5 (HD5), were assessed to investigate the relationship between HD5 and Bifidobacterium colonization. Results We show that HD5 is associated with colonization of Bifidobacterium in early life from pre-weaning to weaning periods. Furthermore, high relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in the weaning period, which positively correlates with HD5 secretion, is associated with the establishment of Bifidobacterium-rich microbiota at 3 years old, when the intestinal microbiota matures. Conclusions This study suggests the importance of the weaning period in establishing long-lasting homeostasis interwoven with the host innate immunity and Bifidobacterium in the intestinal microbiota.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00977-6 |
| spellingShingle | Yu Shimizu Yuki Yokoi Shuya Ohira Hirohisa Izumi Satomi Kawakami Miu Ihara Fuka Tabata Yasuhiro Takeda Takashi Kimura Koshi Nakamura Akiko Tamakoshi Tokiyoshi Ayabe Kiminori Nakamura Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life Communications Medicine |
| title | Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life |
| title_full | Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life |
| title_fullStr | Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life |
| title_short | Modulation of Bifidobacterium by HD5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life |
| title_sort | modulation of bifidobacterium by hd5 during weaning is associated with high abundance in later life |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00977-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yushimizu modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT yukiyokoi modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT shuyaohira modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT hirohisaizumi modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT satomikawakami modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT miuihara modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT fukatabata modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT yasuhirotakeda modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT takashikimura modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT koshinakamura modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT akikotamakoshi modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT tokiyoshiayabe modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife AT kiminorinakamura modulationofbifidobacteriumbyhd5duringweaningisassociatedwithhighabundanceinlaterlife |