Study On Metabolic Changes Of Intestinal Microflora In Infant And Young Child On Breastfeeding Pattern

Objective:The aims of current study are to explore the changes of short-chain fatty acid(SCFA),and to investigate the metabolic characteristics of intestinal flora in infants who were breastfed between 0 and 3 years old.It will be helpful to provide precise dietary guidance for improving intestinal flora for infants and young children in the future.Materials and methods:The samples are from June 2018 to November 2018 in child care department affiliated Children’s Hospital Of Soochow University and a community health centermedical healthy infants and young children,a total of 33 cases,selected objects are breastfeeding,aged from 27 days to 3years,according to whether adding supplementary food or weaning into three groups:breastfeeding group(BF group)(10 cases),supplementary feeding group(SF group)(12 cases),weaning group(11 cases),and meet the following inclusion criteria:(1)breastfeeding;(2)less than 3 years of age;(3)no history of antibiotic use within 30 days;(4)no history of fever,diarrhoea,respiratory tract and urinary tract infection within 30 days;(5)the defecation was normal,and there were no digestive tract symptoms such as constipation and dyspepsia;(6)no major congenital diseases or dysplasia;(7)the growth and development curve is within the normal range.After collecting and treating those fresh stool specimens,they were placed in basic medium(YCFA),lactulose(Lau),fructooligosaccharide(FOS),galactooligosaccharide(GOS),inulin(INU),soluble starch(STA),mannitol(MAI),,and cultured in thermostat for 24 hours.The concentration of total acid,acetic acid,propionic acid,butyric acid and other acids in those mediums were detected by meteorological chromatography.The gas production in the various mediums at 24h was detected by gas pressure measuring instrument.SPASS 21.0 was used to analyze the data.Results:1.There was no significant difference in the SCFA concentration of total acid in these three group.There was no significant difference in the SCFA concentration of acetic acid,propionic acid and butyric acid between the BF group and the SF group(P>0.05).The concentration of propionic acid and butyric acid in the weaning group were significantly higher than those in the BF group and the SF group(P<0.05).The content of isovaleric acid in the weaning group was significantly higher than that in the BF group.2.In the BF group,the SCFA ratio of acetic acid,propionic acid and butyric acid to total acid was 82:9:4,that of SF group was 78:10:5,that of weaning group was 60:22:15.The SCFA ratio of acetic acid,propionic acid and butyric acid to total acid in weaning group was significantly different from that in BF group and SF group(P<0.01),but there was no significant difference between BF group and SF group.3.The SCFA concentration of total acid in the medium of YCFA,LAU and MAI in the SF group was significantly higher than that in the BF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.The SCFA concentration of total acid in the weaning group was significantly higher than that in the BF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.The SCFA concentration of total acid in the weaning group(except YCFA and INU medium)was significantly higher than that in the SF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.4.The SCFA concentration of acetic acid,excepted FOS in the SF group was significantly higher than that in the BF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.The SCFA concentration of acetic acid in each medium in the weaning group was significantly higher than that in the BF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.The SCFA concentration of acetic acid in the weaning group(except for YCFA culture medium)was significantly higher than that in the SF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.5.The SCFA concentration of propionic acid(except LAU,MAI medium)in the SF group was significantly higher than that in the BF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.The SCFA concentration of propionic acid(except LAUmedium)in weaning group was significantly higher than that in BF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.And the SCFA concentration of propionic acid in weaning group(except LAU、FOSmedium)was significantly higher than that in SF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.6.The SCFA concentration of butyric acid(except INU medium)in the SF group was significantly higher than that in the BF group(P<0.05),after fermentation in vitro.The SCFA concentration of butyric acid in each medium in the weaning group was significantly higher than that in the BF group(P<0.01).,after fermentation in vitro.In the weaning group,the concentration of butyric acid in the medium of YCFA and FOS were significantly higher than those in the SF group,while the concentration of butyric acid in the medium of LAU,GOS,INU,STA and MAI were not significantly different,after fermentation in vitro.Conclusion:1.SCFA is the main product of intestinal flora metabolism in infants.2.During the process from BF to SF and then to weaning,The ratio of acetic acid in the main SCFA decreased,while the proportion of propionic acid and butyric acid increased,and reached a higher level in the weaning period.3.During the process from BF to SF and then to weaning,the ability of intestinal flora metabolism and fermentation to produce SCFA gradually increases,which may conforms to the development and maturation rules of intestinal flora of infants.4.During the stage of BF,the concentration of butyric acid produced by the fermentation and metabolism of intestinal flora is very low,which may be related to the small amount of butyric acid producing flora.After the addition of supplementary food to weaning,the yield of butyric acid increases significantly.5.Determination of SCFA level in infant fecal oligosaccharide medium by in vitro fermentation model can be used as a useful and simple method for indirect evaluation of intestinal flora development and succession of infants.