Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38977796›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2025

Bovine colostrum prevents formula-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis in preterm pigs.

Lin Yang, Yan Hui, Thomas Thymann, Dennis Sandris Nielsen, Ping-Ping Jiang, Per Torp Sangild

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lin YangSection for Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Yan HuiDepartment of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Thomas ThymannSection for Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Dennis Sandris NielsenDepartment of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Ping-Ping JiangSection for Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Per Torp SangildSection for Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark. pts@sund.ku.dk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPreterm birth and formula feeding increase the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a gut inflammatory disease known to be associated with gut microbiota (GM) changes in infants. Supplemental bovine colostrum may protect against formula-induced NEC via GM changes. We hypothesised that feeding colostrum before, after, or during formula feeding affects NEC sensitivity via changes to GM.

methodsColonic GM (profiled by 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing) was compared in preterm pigs fed colostrum for 4 days, either before, after, or together with formula feeding for 4 days. Correlations between GM and gut parameters were assessed on day 5 or 9.

resultsBoth exclusive and partial colostrum feeding induced higher GM diversity, lower Enterococcus abundance, and improved intestinal maturation parameters (villus structure, digestive enzyme activities, permeability), relative to exclusive formula feeding (all p < 0.05). Across feeding regimens, Enterococcus abundance was inversely correlated with intestinal maturation parameters. Conversely, there was no correlation between GM changes and early NEC lesions.

conclusionBovine colostrum inhibits formula-induced Enterococcus overgrowth and gut dysfunctions just after preterm birth but these effects are not causally linked. Optimising diet-related host responses, not GM, may be critical to prevent NEC in preterm newborn pigs and infants. IMPACT: Supplement of bovine colostrum to formula feeding modified the gut microbiota by increasing species diversity and reducing Enterococcus abundance, while concurrently improving intestinal functions in preterm pigs. Diet-related changes to the gut microbiota were not clearly associated with development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm pigs, suggesting that diet-related gut microbiota effects are not critical for diet-related NEC protection. The study highlights the potential to use bovine colostrum as a supplement to formula feeding for preterm infants lacking human milk.

Indexed as

ColostrumDysbiosisEnterocolitis, NecrotizingGastrointestinal MicrobiomeInfant FormulaAnimalsAnimals, NewbornCattleEnterococcusFemalePremature BirthRNA, Ribosomal, 16SSwineRNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Identifiers

PMID38977796
PMCPMC12014488

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.