Flores Ventura Eduard, Esteban-Torres María, Gueimonde Miguel, van Sinderen Douwe, Koren Omry, Hall Lindsay J, Segata Nicola, Valles-Colomer Mireia, Collado Maria Carmen
Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology- National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain.
Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Dairy Research Institute- National Research Council (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Spain.
NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2025 Jul 1;11(1):121. doi: 10.1038/s41522-025-00720-y.
Early-life colonization is a critical developmental process influencing infant biological programming, with bifidobacteria playing a key role. This systematic review examines the transmissibility of Bifidobacterium strains from mothers to infants. Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 31 articles from 2009 to 2024 were selected from 2825 screened titles and abstracts. Using a narrative synthesis and meta-analysis, the review focuses on studies employing strain-level metagenomic approaches (Protocol registry CRD: CRD42023490507). Ten studies using shotgun metagenomic sequencing identified specific strains of B. adolescentis, B. angulatum, B. bifidum, B. breve, B. pseudocatenulatum, B. catenulatum, and B. longum shared between mothers and infants. A meta-analysis of 810 mother-infant pairs revealed an overall species transmissibility estimate of 30% (95% CI: 0.17; 0.44), with B. longum strains persisting in infants' guts for up to 6 months. Strain transmissibility was higher in vaginally delivered infants compared to those delivered by caesarean section. This review highlights the high transmission rates of maternal Bifidobacterium strains in early-life gut seeding, particularly B. bifidum and B. longum. Despite ongoing research, uncertainties remain regarding the precise characteristics, transmission routes, and mechanisms of transmitted strains. Comprehensive approaches, including metagenomic sequencing and longitudinal studies, are needed to understand the role of vertical transmission in infant gut microbiome engraftment and its functional implications.
早期生命定殖是影响婴儿生物编程的关键发育过程，双歧杆菌在其中发挥着关键作用。本系统评价考察了双歧杆菌菌株从母亲到婴儿的传播情况。遵循系统评价与Meta分析的首选报告项目（PRISMA）指南，从2825篇筛选的标题和摘要中选取了2009年至2024年的31篇文章。通过叙述性综合分析和Meta分析，该评价聚焦于采用菌株水平宏基因组学方法的研究（方案注册号CRD：CRD42023490507）。十项使用鸟枪法宏基因组测序的研究确定了母婴之间共享的青春双歧杆菌、角双歧杆菌、两歧双歧杆菌、短双歧杆菌、假链状双歧杆菌、链状双歧杆菌和长双歧杆菌的特定菌株。对810对母婴的Meta分析显示，总体物种传播率估计为30%（95%CI：0.17；0.44），长双歧杆菌菌株在婴儿肠道中持续存在长达6个月。与剖宫产分娩的婴儿相比，阴道分娩婴儿的菌株传播率更高。本评价强调了母体双歧杆菌菌株在早期生命肠道定植中的高传播率，尤其是两歧双歧杆菌和长双歧杆菌。尽管研究仍在进行，但关于传播菌株的确切特征、传播途径和机制仍存在不确定性。需要综合方法，包括宏基因组测序和纵向研究，以了解垂直传播在婴儿肠道微生物群植入中的作用及其功能意义。
