Antibiotics modulate intestinal immunity and prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm neonatal piglets

TY - JOUR

T1 - Antibiotics modulate intestinal immunity and prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm neonatal piglets

AU - Jensen, Michael Ladegaard

AU - Thymann, Thomas

AU - Cilieborg, Malene Skovsted

AU - Jensen, Mikkel Lykke

AU - Mølbak, Lars

AU - Jensen, Bent B

AU - Schmidt, Mette

AU - Kelly, Denise

AU - Mulder, Imke

AU - Burrin, Douglas G

AU - Sangild, Per Torp

N1 - CURIS 2014 NEXS 003

PY - 2014/1/1

Y1 - 2014/1/1

N2 - Preterm birth, bacterial colonization, and formula feeding predispose to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Antibiotics are commonly administered to prevent sepsis in preterm infants, but it is not known whether this affects intestinal immunity and NEC resistance. We hypothesized that broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment improves NEC resistance and intestinal structure, function, and immunity in neonates. Caesarean-delivered preterm pigs were fed 3 days of parenteral nutrition followed by 2 days of enteral formula. Immediately after birth, they were assigned to receive either antibiotics (oral and parenteral doses of gentamycin, ampicillin, and metronidazole, ANTI, n < 11) or saline in the control group (CON, n < 13), given twice daily. NEC lesions and intestinal structure, function, microbiology, and immunity markers were recorded. None of the ANTI but 85% of the CON pigs developed NEC lesions by day 5 (0/11 vs. 11/13, P < 0.05). ANTI pigs had higher intestinal villi (+60%), digestive enzyme activities (+53-73%), and goblet cell densities (+110%) and lower myeloperoxidase (-51%) and colonic microbial density (105 vs. 1010 colony-forming units, all P < 0.05). Microarray transcriptomics showed strong downregulation of genes related to inflammation and innate immune response to microbiota and marked upregulation of genes related to amino acid metabolism, in particular threonine, glucose transport systems, and cell cycle in 5-day-old ANTI pigs. In a follow-up experiment, 5 days of antibiotics prevented NEC at least until day 10. Neonatal prophylactic antibiotics effectively reduced gut bacterial load, prevented NEC, intestinal atrophy, dysfunction, and inflammation and enhanced expression of genes related to gut metabolism and immunity in preterm pigs.

AB - Preterm birth, bacterial colonization, and formula feeding predispose to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Antibiotics are commonly administered to prevent sepsis in preterm infants, but it is not known whether this affects intestinal immunity and NEC resistance. We hypothesized that broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment improves NEC resistance and intestinal structure, function, and immunity in neonates. Caesarean-delivered preterm pigs were fed 3 days of parenteral nutrition followed by 2 days of enteral formula. Immediately after birth, they were assigned to receive either antibiotics (oral and parenteral doses of gentamycin, ampicillin, and metronidazole, ANTI, n < 11) or saline in the control group (CON, n < 13), given twice daily. NEC lesions and intestinal structure, function, microbiology, and immunity markers were recorded. None of the ANTI but 85% of the CON pigs developed NEC lesions by day 5 (0/11 vs. 11/13, P < 0.05). ANTI pigs had higher intestinal villi (+60%), digestive enzyme activities (+53-73%), and goblet cell densities (+110%) and lower myeloperoxidase (-51%) and colonic microbial density (105 vs. 1010 colony-forming units, all P < 0.05). Microarray transcriptomics showed strong downregulation of genes related to inflammation and innate immune response to microbiota and marked upregulation of genes related to amino acid metabolism, in particular threonine, glucose transport systems, and cell cycle in 5-day-old ANTI pigs. In a follow-up experiment, 5 days of antibiotics prevented NEC at least until day 10. Neonatal prophylactic antibiotics effectively reduced gut bacterial load, prevented NEC, intestinal atrophy, dysfunction, and inflammation and enhanced expression of genes related to gut metabolism and immunity in preterm pigs.

U2 - 10.1152/ajpgi.00213.2013

DO - 10.1152/ajpgi.00213.2013

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24157972

SN - 0193-1857

VL - 306

SP - G59-G71

JO - American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology

JF - American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology

IS - 1

ER -