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Even becoming a mother implies “gut” feelings: and microbiota shapeshifts according to necessities

Pregnancy induces significant changes in hormonal levels, body structure, and immune function, essential for fetal development. Initially, the maternal immune system is pro-inflammatory, becoming anti-inflammatory, then shifting back to pro-inflammatory to initiate labor. The role of the gut microbiome in immune regulation during pregnancy is increasingly recognized, with studies showing its influence on pregnancy outcomes and conditions like preeclampsia through changes in the microbial composition and interactions with immune cells. However, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. Metabolites, rather than direct microbial interactions, predominantly mediate the relationship between the microbiome and the immune system, highlighting areas for further research to understand pregnancy-related immune adjustments and develop new therapeutic strategies.

In a recent study published in Clinical Microbiology, a group of researchers investigated how gut microbiota and metabolite changes relate to immune function during pregnancy by comparing the gut microbiota, fecal and plasma metabolites, and cytokines in pregnant and non-pregnant women. In the study conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 30 pregnant and 15 non-pregnant women were recruited to explore the interactions between gut microbiota, metabolites, and immune function. The control group consisted of healthy females matching the pregnant group in age and BMI, with neither group using probiotics or antibiotics in the six months before the study. The metabolomic data were processed and analyzed to determine significant differences and map them to biological pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database.

Plasma cytokines were measured using a multiplex bead assay to assess immune function differences between the groups. The study found no significant differences between average age or pre-pregnancy BMI between the two groups. Immune profiling revealed that pregnant participants had lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and higher levels of certain anti-inflammatory cytokines than the controls, indicating a shift towards immunosuppression during pregnancy. The study also investigated gut microbiota, finding distinct microbial compositions between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Pregnant women had a higher diversity of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and differences in the abundance of specific bacterial phyla. Scientists also identified microbial modules that correlated negatively with pro-inflammatory cytokines.

This is suggesting that certain gut bacteria groups have a consistent impact on reducing inflammation during pregnancy. Notably, bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcus, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, were more abundant in pregnant women and were negatively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines. Metabolomic analysis of fecal and plasma samples revealed significant metabolic alterations during pregnancy. Differential metabolites were identified, with many showing downregulation in pregnant women. These included arachidonic acid and various bile acids, known to be associated with inflammation. The analysis highlighted the significant role of bile acid metabolism during pregnancy.The study further explored the associations between gut microbiota, metabolites, and cytokines.

Results indicated that metabolites might mediate the relationship between microbiota and the immune system. Directional mediation analysis identified specific linkages among microbes, metabolites, and cytokines, suggesting that certain gut microbes could influence cytokine levels by modulating metabolite concentrations. For example, Ruminococcus callidus and other bacteria could decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines by affecting specific metabolites like deoxycholic acid and arachidonic acid levels. Correlation studies between metabolites and cytokines indicated that certain metabolites enriched in pregnant women were negatively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting their involvement in modulating immune responses.

  • Edited by Dr. Gianfrancesco Cormaci, PhD; specialista in Biochimica Clinica.

Pubblicazioni scientifiche

Huang T, Liang X et al. mSystems 2024 Feb 7:e0125223.

Wang M, Chen X et al. Cell Syst. 2024 Jan; 15(1):63-74.

Ke S et al. Psychol Med. 2023 Nov; 53(15):7151-7160.

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Dott. Gianfrancesco Cormaci
Dott. Gianfrancesco Cormaci
Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia nel 1998; specialista in Biochimica Clinica dal 2002; dottorato in Neurobiologia nel 2006; Ex-ricercatore, ha trascorso 5 anni negli USA (2004-2008) alle dipendenze dell' NIH/NIDA e poi della Johns Hopkins University. Guardia medica presso la casa di Cura Sant'Agata a Catania. Medico penitenziario presso CC.SR. Cavadonna (SR) Si occupa di Medicina Preventiva personalizzata e intolleranze alimentari. Detentore di un brevetto per la fabbricazione di sfarinati gluten-free a partire da regolare farina di grano. Responsabile della sezione R&D della CoFood s.r.l. per la ricerca e sviluppo di nuovi prodotti alimentari, inclusi quelli a fini medici speciali.

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