Previous work has shown that
Secretory-IgA (
SIgA) binding to the intestinal microbiota is variable and may regulate host inflammatory bowel responses. Nevertheless, the impact of the
SIgA functional binding to the microbiota remains largely unknown in preterm infants whose immature epithelial barriers make them particularly susceptible to
inflammation. Here, we investigated
SIgA binding to intestinal microbiota isolated from stools of preterm infants <33 weeks gestation with various levels of intestinal permeability. We found that
SIgA binding to intestinal microbiota attenuates inflammatory reactions in preterm infants. We also observed a significant correlation between
SIgA affinity to the microbiota and the infant's intestinal barrier maturation. Still,
SIgA affinity was not associated with developing host defenses, such as the production of mucus and inflammatory
calprotectin protein, but it depended on the microbiota shifts as the intestinal barrier matures. In conclusion, we reported an association between the
SIgA functional binding to the microbiota and the maturity of the preterm infant's intestinal barrier, indicating that the pattern of
SIgA coating is altered as the intestinal barrier matures.