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The disturbances of intestinal microbiomes in male mice they emerge as an issue of fundamental importance for the health of their offspring, as highlighted by a study recently published in Nature. According to this research, imbalances in male gut microbiomes can have a significant impact on the proper functioning of the placentaa crucial element for fetal development.
Factors that influence the intestinal microbiome
It is widely recognized that environmental factors capable of influencing gut microbial ecosystems can modulate physiological and pathological responses within the host. However, the influence of the paternal gut microbiome on offspring remains largely a mystery.
To examine the effects of a disrupted gut microbiota on the offspring of male mice, the team led by Jamie Hackett administered antibiotics to male mice for a period of six weeks. This treatment led to a reduction in microbial diversity, abundance and richness. The pups of these mice were found to be more likely to be born at a lower-than-average weight, to experience severe growth delays, and to die prematurely.
Placental insufficiency and microbiomes
The authors hypothesize that these effects may be related to a response to microbial disorders in the male reproductive system, which may include impaired hormonal signaling and altered testicular metabolic profiles. This response could increase the risk of placental insufficiency. However, restoring the disrupted paternal microbiota before conception was effective in reducing the risk of health problems in offspring.
This finding suggests that the deterioration in offspring health associated with disrupted paternal microbiomes is an epigenetic, not genetic, effect. The authors propose that the gut microbiota may act as an important interface between the paternal preconception environment and offspring health in mice. Such findings highlight the importance of understanding how environmental factors can influence complex biological systems at molecular and intergenerational scales.
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