Profiling the fecal microbiome and its modulators across the lifespan in the Netherlands.
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Article
Language
en
Date
2024-09-11
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Profiling the fecal microbiome and its modulators across the lifespan in the Netherlands.
Translated Title
Published in
Cell Rep 2024; 43(9):114729
Abstract
Defining what constitutes a healthy microbiome throughout our lives remains an ongoing challenge. Understanding to what extent host and environmental factors can influence it has been the primary motivation for large population studies worldwide. Here, we describe the fecal microbiome of 3,746 individuals (0-87 years of age) in a nationwide study in the Netherlands, in association with extensive questionnaires. We validate previous findings, such as infant-adult trajectories, and explore the collective impact of our variables, which explain over 40% of the variation in microbiome composition. We identify associations with less explored factors, particularly those ethnic related, which show the largest impact on the adult microbiome composition, diversity, metabolic profiles, and CAZy (carbohydrate-active enzyme) repertoires. Understanding the sources of microbiome variability is crucial, given its potential as a modifiable target with therapeutic possibilities. With this work, we aim to serve as a foundational element for the design of health interventions and fundamental research.