The Effect of Human Milk Oligosaccharides and Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis Bi-26 on Simulated Infant Gut Microbiome and Metabolites

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) shape the developing infant gut microbiota. In this study, a semi-continuous colon simulator was used to evaluate the effect of 2 HMOs-2 & PRIME;-fucosyllactose (2 & PRIME;-FL) and 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL)-on the composition of infant faecal microbiota and microbial metabolites. The simulations were performed with and without a probiotic Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis Bi-26 (Bi-26) and compared with a control that lacked an additional carbon source. The treatments with HMOs decreased a-diversity and increased Bifidobacterium species versus the control, but the Bifidobacterium species differed between simulations. The levels of acetic acid and the sum of all short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) trended toward an increase with 2 & PRIME;-FL, as did lactic acid with 2 & PRIME;-FL and 3-FL, compared with control. A clear correlation was seen between the consumption of HMOs and the increase in SCFAs (-0.72) and SCFAs + lactic acid (-0.77), whereas the correlation between HMO consumption and higher total bifidobacterial numbers was moderate (-0.46). Bi-26 decreased propionic acid levels with 2 & PRIME;-FL. In conclusion, whereas infant faecal microbiota varied between infant donors, the addition of 2 & PRIME;-FL and 3-FL, alone or in combination, increased the relative abundance and numbers Bifidobacterium species in the semi-continuous colon simulation model, correlating with the production of microbial metabolites. These findings may suggest that HMOs and probiotics benefit the developing infant gut microbiota.

Automated summary

In this study, the effects of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) on infant faecal microbiota and microbial metabolites were evaluated using a semi-continuous colon simulator. The results showed that HMOs decreased diversity and increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium species, which correlated with the production of microbial metabolites. These findings suggest that HMOs and probiotics have benefits for the developing infant gut microbiota.