Breastfeeding might partially contribute to gut microbiota construction and stabilization of propionate metabolism in cesarean-section infants

Purpose This study was aimed to determine how delivery mode and feeding pattern influence the infant’s gut microbiota construction and the variation of fecal microbial metabolites from a birth cohort. Methods Fecal samples collected from 61 full-term born Chinese infants at four time points: day 0, day 7, month 1, and month 3. Based on delivery mode (vaginal delivery [V] or cesarean section [C]) and feeding pattern (breastfeeding [B] or mixed feeding [M]), infants were divided into four groups, namely VB, CB, VM, and CM groups. The gut microbiota composition and bacterial diversity were assessed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations were determined via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Results The CM group had a significantly higher relative abundance of Firmicutes (day 0 and month 1), Enterococcaceae (month 3), and Enterococcus (month 3) than the VB group and a significantly higher abundance of Firmicutes (month 1) and Blautia (month 3) than the CB group. The VB and CB groups exhibited a stable SCFA variation and a significantly lower level of propionate compared with the VM and CM groups. All groups showed an intense transition of enterotypes within 1 month and became stable at 3 months. The correlation between SCFA and enterotypes showed a significant positive correlation between Bifidobacteriaceae and acetate in the CB group (day 7 and month 3) and a significant positive correlation between Clostridiaceae and butyrate in the CB and VB groups (day 7 and month 3), respectively. Conclusion These results indicated that C-section was associated with higher abundance of the phylum Firmicutes and family Enterococcaceae , and intense fluctuation of SCFA, at least propionate. And breastfeeding might partially contribute to gut microbiota construction and stabilization propionate metabolism in cesarean-section infants.