Associations between maternal obesity and offspringgut microbiome in the first year of life

Authors: GILLEY, STEPHANIE - University Of Colorado; RUEBEL, MEGHAN - University Of Colorado; SIMS, CLARK - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); ZHONG, YING - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); TURNER, DONALD - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); LAN, RENNY - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); PACK, LINDSAY - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); PICCOLO, BRIAN - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); ABRAHAM, ANN - University Of California, San Diego; BODE, LARS - University Of California, San Diego; ANDRES, ALINE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); SHANKAR, KARTIK - University Of California, San Diego

Submitted to: Pediatric Obesity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2022
Publication Date: 4/27/2022
Citation: Gilley, S.P., Ruebel, M.L., Sims, C., Zhong, Y., Turner, D., Lan, R.S., Pack, L.M., Piccolo, B.D., Abraham, A., Bode, L., Andres, A., Shankar, K. 2022. Associations between maternal obesity and offspringgut microbiome in the first year of life. Pediatric Obesity. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12921.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12921

Interpretive Summary: Maternal excessive weight is an important predictor of obesity risk in children, which may be influenced by changes in the infant microbiome (the bacteria normally found in the gut). In this study, researchers examined infant fecal microbiome, fecal short-chain fatty acids content, and maternal human milk oligosaccharides during the first year of life. At 1'month, offspring of women with obesity had less bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids and less butyric acid, which is one of the short-chain fatty acids. The results also identified specific groups of bacteria at 1 month that predicts more body fat in the children at age 12 months. Finally, findings demonstrated that mothers with higher body mass index had infants with lower levels of short-chain fatty acids and fecal butyric acids which may influence the immune development and metabolism of infants.

Technical Abstract: Background Maternal obesity is an important determinant of offspring obesity risk, which may be mediated via changes in the infant microbiome. Objectives We examined infant faecal microbiome, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and maternal human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) in mothers with overweight/obese body mass index (BMI) (OW) compared with normal weight (NW) (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01131117). Methods Infant stool samples at 1, 6, and 12'months were analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Maternal (BODPOD) and infant (quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance [QMR]) adiposity were measured. HMOs at 2 months postpartum and faecal SCFAs at 1 month were also assessed. Statistical analyses included multivariable and mixed linear models for assessment of microbiome diversity, composition, and associations of taxonomic abundance with metabolic and anthropometric variables. Results At 1'month, offspring of women with obesity had lower abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria (including Ruminococcus and Turicibacter) and lower faecal butyric acid levels. Lachnospiraceae abundance was lower in OW group at 6 months, and infant fat mass was negatively associated with the levels of Sutterella. Gradient boosting machine models indicated that higher a-diversity and specific microbial taxa at 1 month predicted elevated adiposity at 12'months with overall accuracy of 76.5%. Associations between maternal HMO concentrations and infant bacterial taxa differed between NW and OW groups. Conclusions Elevated maternal BMI is associated with relative depletion of butyrate-producing microbes and faecal butyrate in the early infant faecal microbiome. Overall microbial richness may aid in prediction of elevated adiposity in later infancy.