Transgenerational impacts of oral probiotic administration in pregnant mice on offspring gut immune cells and colitis susceptibility

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K08384
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: National Defense Medical College
• Principal Investigator: Okada Yoshikiyo 防衛医科大学校(医学教育部医学科進学課程及び専門課程、動物実験施設、共同利用研究施設、病院並びに防衛, 内科学, 助教 (90531137)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 伝統的発酵食品 / プロバイオティクス / トランスジェネレーション / 炎症性腸疾患 / 樹状細胞 / 制御性T細胞 / 腸内細菌 / β8インテグリン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study of the impact of environmental factors during preg- nancy on fetal development has so far been focused primarily on those negatively affecting human health; however, little is known about the effects of probiotic treatment during preg- nancy on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In this study, we investigated whether oral administration of heat-killed probiotics isolated from fermented foods decreased the vul- nerability of offspring to IBD.
Oral administration of probiotics during gestation induced transgenerational immunomodulatory effects on the gut-associated immune system and resilience to experi- mental colitis in the offspring. Our results suggest that consumption of fermented foods during pregnancy can be effective in preventing inflammatory diseases such as IBD be- yond generation.

Free Research Field

消化器内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、親マウスにプロバイオティクスを投与することで増加した免疫細胞は、その仔マウスにトランスジェネレーションされる可能性が示された。これは、妊娠中の発酵食品の摂取が世代を超えて炎症性疾患（IBD）などの予防に効果的である可能性を示唆している。