Maternal gut microbiota in pregnancy influences offspring metabolic phenotype in mice

Ikuo Kimura, Junki Miyamoto, Ryuji Ohue-Kitano, Keita Watanabe, Takahiro Yamada, Masayoshi Onuki, Ryo Aoki, Yosuke Isobe, Daiji Kashihara, Daisuke Inoue, Akihiko Inaba, Yuta Takamura, Satsuki Taira, Shunsuke Kumaki, Masaki Watanabe, Masato Ito, Fumiyuki Nakagawa, Junichiro Irie, Hiroki Kakuta, Masakazu ShinoharaKen Iwatsuki, Gozoh Tsujimoto, Hiroaki Ohno, Makoto Arita, Hiroshi Itoh, Koji Hase

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

202 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Antibiotics and dietary habits can affect the gut microbial community, thus influencing disease susceptibility. Although the effect of microbiota on the postnatal environment has been well documented, much less is known regarding the impact of gut microbiota at the embryonic stage. Here we show that maternal microbiota shapes the metabolic system of offspring in mice. During pregnancy, short-chain fatty acids produced by the maternal microbiota dictate the differentiation of neural, intestinal, and pancreatic cells through embryonic GPR41 and GPR43. This developmental process helps maintain postnatal energy homeostasis, as evidenced by the fact that offspring from germ-free mothers are highly susceptible to metabolic syndrome, even when reared under conventional conditions. Thus, our findings elaborate on a link between the maternal gut environment and the developmental origin of metabolic syndrome.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbereaaw8429
JournalScience
Volume367
Issue number6481
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 28 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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