The gut microbiome in early-life
The Chinese University of Hong Kong has unveiled findings from its large-scale mother-baby study, MOMmy, highlighting the impact of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on mother-infant gut microbiomes and subsequent infant neurodevelopment. GDM is one of the leading pregnancy complications globally.
Conducted by the university’s Faculty of Medicine, this extensive study involved 264 mother-baby pairs, employing metagenomic sequencing to analyse 1,566 stool samples. The research revealed that mothers with GDM exhibit reduced microbiome diversity and an increased presence of potential pathogens, such as Fusobacterium mortiferum. Their infants displayed a higher abundance of Clostridium species.
The altered gut microbiome in infants born to mothers with GDM was associated with increased head circumference, an early indicator of potential neurodevelopmental disorders. While further work is needed, the research points to the potential for microbiota modulation as a preventive strategy.
The MOMmy study—the acronym stands for “MOther-infant Microbiota transmission and its link to long terM health of babY”—was launched in 2019 and aims to provide insights into the gut microbiome’s role in early-life health. It seeks to establish a representative cohort to improve understanding and intervention strategies for common infant diseases in China. The findings of this latest study have been published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe with Shilan Wang as the first author. Dr Lin Zhang, Professor Siew Ng, and Professor Francis Chan were among the co-authors.
Chan was awarded a Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship in 2007. Ng was awarded a Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship in 2020 and was the subject of a recent Croucher News feature article.