During pregnancy, the expectant mother not only transmits nutrients to her baby, but also microbes. Finnish researchers found that the mother’s microbiota influenced the gene expression of the fetal placenta, brain and intestine in mice.
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A new Finnish study published in BMC Biology indicates that maternal microorganisms are important for the development and health of offspring. Significant differences in gene activity in the fetal placenta, brain and intestine were found depending on the microbes present in the mother’s body.
The research also uncovered new metabolites thought to be influenced by microbiotamicrobiota maternal. “ We identified previously unknown compounds in the fetusfetuswhich are likely microbial and may be important for individual development said Mikael Niku, study researcher at the Faculty of Medicine veterinarianveterinarian from the University of Helsinki. According to the authors, many potentially important metabolites remain to be identified.
Male fetuses are more impacted
The researchers compared fetuses from normal mice to those from mice without germsgerms (and therefore without microbiota) living in a sterile environment. They measured gene expression and metabolite concentrations in the fetus in the intestine, brain and placenta. For example, genes in the gut associated with immune systemimmune system were less active in fetuses from germ-free mothers. Differences have been observed in the expression of brain genes associated with the development and function of the nervous system.
In the placenta, the genes coding for prolactinprolactin and other essential regulators of pregnancypregnancy were downregulated in germ-free mothers. Furthermore, male fetuses experienced more differences, indicating that they may be more sensitive to the effects of the maternal microbiota, at least in mice.
In particular, this research could help understand why some babies are predisposed to immune system dysfunctions, such as inflammatory bowel disease and allergies.
