Exploring the developing microbiome and host response of infants v0.3

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Exploring the developing microbiome and host response of infants.

• IRAS ID

  316691

• Contact name

  Sheena Cruickshank

• Contact email

  sheena.cruickshank@manchester.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Manchester

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating inflammatory disease of the intestine which predominantly effects premature infants. Excessive inflammation leads to death of the intestinal tissue and sepsis. The high mortality and morbidity of the disease have not improved significantly over recent years and the disease mechanisms remain poorly understood.

  Several studies have reported that the composition of the gut microbiota differs between NEC infants and non-NEC preterm infants. It has been hypothesised that these differences in gut microbial composition may be a factor in the onset of NEC.
  The immune system of preterm infants is immature and as such defence against pathogens is impaired. This impact is lessened somewhat by transfer of maternal antibodies via breast milk feeding, which are an important defence against gut pathogens. The pattern of gut bacteria bound by antibodies has been shown to differ in infants that develop NEC compared to non-NEC premature infants and may begin to explain how the onset of NEC occurs.

  We wish to learn the extent to which those bacteria that induce an antibody response are bound by antibodies and how this binding varies between a NEC and non-NEC group. We also aim to characterise the composition of the gut microbiota of NEC and non-NEC infants using 16s sequencing and metagenomics. Additionally, we also aim to identify new biomarkers of NEC in stool and blood samples.

  Preterm infants with a gestational age less than 32 weeks, with and without NEC will be eligible. The study will be conducted at the neonatal intensive care unit in St. Mary’s hospital. The study will last one year and participants will have stool samples collected from nappies once a day over a maximum of 40 days post birth. Pseudonymised clinical information, including routine blood results, will be shared with the research team.

• REC name

  South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/SC/0122

• Date of REC Opinion

  28 Apr 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion