Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To explore the changes in gut microbiota and levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in infants with cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA), and to clarify their role in CMPA. METHODS: A total of 25 infants diagnosed with CMPA at Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from August 2019 to August 2020 were enrolled as the CMPA group, and 25 healthy infants were selected as the control group. Fecal samples (200 mg) were collected from both groups and subjected to 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the changes in gut microbial composition and metabolites. Microbial diversity was analyzed in conjunction with metabolites. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the CMPA group showed altered gut microbial structure and significantly increased α-diversity (P<0.001). The abundance of Firmicutes, Clostridiales and Bacteroidetes was significantly decreased, while the abundance of Sphingomonadaceae, Clostridiaceae_1 and Mycoplasmataceae was significantly increased in the CMPA group compared to the control group (P<0.001). Metabolomic analysis revealed reduced levels of acetic acid, butyric acid, and isovaleric acid in the CMPA group compared to the control group, and the levels of the metabolites were positively correlated with the abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria such as Faecalibacterium and Roseburia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CMPA infants have alterations in gut microbial structure, increased microbial diversity, and decreased levels of SCFA, which may contribute to increased intestinal inflammation.