# Study Gut Dysbiosis in Anemic Preterm Infants Using a Multiomics Approach

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA · 2023 · $412,500

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 This proposal details a longitudinal prospective study to define the changes in stool microbiota and host
responses as severe anemia develops in preterm infants. The specific goals are to determine the hematocrit
(Hct) threshold associated with gut dysbiosis and how anemia development influences the microbiota and host
interactions using a multiomics approach. This translational study will provide clinical-relevant information that
can potentially change the clinical management of anemia, a common condition in preterm infants.
 All preterm infants are at risk for anemia and this risk increases with lower birth weight and gestational age.
Greater than 50% of very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g) infants require a blood transfusion to treat anemia
but there is a lack of research evidence to guide clinicians when to transfuse to achieve optimal health outcomes.
Anemia in preterm infants has been associated with inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and gut injury with high
morbidity and mortality such as necrotizing enterocolitis. The severity of anemia also determined the severity of
the outcomes. Recently, anemia has been linked to intestinal dysbiosis characterized by increased proportion of
gram-negative Proteobacteria and lower bacterial diversity in preterm infants and this relationship warrants
further investigation. Our preliminary data showed that Proteobacterial abundance correlated with total bacterial
virulence factors and higher virulence factor abundance was found in anemic group compared to control group.
It is a challenge to subject vulnerable preterm infants to invasive procedures or biospecimen collection for
research purposes. Stool holds abundance information on gut bacteria, bacterial and human metabolic products
that can provide critical insights into the changes in the gut microbiota and the interaction between microbiota
and host. A multiomics approach using metagenomics, metaproteomics, and metabolomics data altogether will
reveal the potential mechanisms of gut inflammation and injury associated with severe anemia. To achieve our
goals, we will perform the following aims: 1) conducting a longitudinal study of VLBW infants who develop severe
anemia (had Hct ൑ 25%) to define the microbiome pattern and predictors of anemia associated dysbiosis and 2)
compare stool multiomics profiles (metagenomics, metaproteomics, metabolomics, and biomarkers) between
anemic (had Hct ൑ 25%) and non-anemic infants (Hct >30%) to identify the changes in gut microbiota
composition and function, and host response. We leverage a large cohort of 370+ VLBW infants from an ongoing
enrollment to provide the required sample size for this proposal. 16S rRNA V4 region will be used to compute
bacterial microbiome composition and comparative biostatistical analyses and survival analysis models of
clinical, and microbiome will be performed for aim 1. Stool metagenomics, metaproteomics, metabolomics, and
biomarkers will be used in lasso penali...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10725697
- **Project number:** 1R21HD112776-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Thao Ho
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $412,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-11 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10725697

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10725697, Study Gut Dysbiosis in Anemic Preterm Infants Using a Multiomics Approach (1R21HD112776-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10725697. Licensed CC0.

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