Composition and Associations of the Infant Gut Fungal Microbiota with Environmental Factors and Childhood Allergic Outcomes
Rozlyn C. T. Boutin, Hind Sbihi, Ryan J. McLaughlin, Aria S Hahn, Kishori M. Konwar, Rachelle Loo, Darlene Dai, Charisse Petersen, Fiona S. L. Brinkman, Geoffrey L. Winsor, Malcolm R. Sears, Theo J. Moraes, Allan B. Becker, Meghan B. Azad, Piush J. Mandhane, Padmaja Subbarao, Stuart E. Turvey, B. Brett Finlay
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests an immunomodulatory role for commensal fungi (mycobiota) in the gut, yet little is known about the composition and dynamics of early-life gut fungal communities. In this work, we show for the first time that the composition of the gut mycobiota of Canadian infants changes dramatically over the course of the first year of life, is associated with environmental factors such as geographical location, diet, and season of birth, and can be used in conjunction with knowledge of a small number of key early-life factors to predict inhalant atopy status at age 5 years. Our study highlights the importance of considering fungal communities as indicators or inciters of immune dysfunction preceding the onset of allergic disease and can serve as a benchmark for future studies aiming to examine infant gut fungal communities across birth cohorts.