Donor-dependent fecal microbiota transplantation efficacy against necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm pigs

• DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00310-2
• Publication Date: 2022-06-09T10:02:59Z
• Authors: Yan Hui; Gisle Vestergaard; Ling Deng; Witold Piotr Kot; Thomas Thymann; Anders Brunse; Dennis Sandris Ni...
• Keywords: Necrotizing Enterocolitis; Fecal bacteriotherapy; Enterocolitis

The development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening inflammatory bowel disease affecting preterm infants, is connected with gut microbiota dysbiosis. Using piglets as model for infants we recently showed that fecal transplantation (FMT) from healthy suckling piglet donors to newborn decreased the NEC risk. However, in follow-up study using donor stool recruited another farm, this finding could not be replicated. This allowed us donor-recipient dynamics controlled system clear difference phenotype. Preterm (n = 38) were randomly allocated receive control saline (CON), or rectal FMT either ineffective (FMT1) effective (FMT2). All animals followed four days before necropsy and pathological evaluation. Donor recipient colonic (GM) analyzed by 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing shotgun metagenomics. As expected, only FMT2 recipients protected against NEC. Both groups had shifted GM composition relative CON, but higher lactobacilli abundance compared FMT1. Limosilactobacillus reuteri Lactobacillus crispatus strains high phylogenetic similarity their respective donors, indicating engraftment. Moreover, group replication rate harbored specific glycosaminoglycan-degrading Bacteroides. In conclusion, subtle species-level differences translate major changes engraftment ability prevent have implications proper selection future trials prevention.