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Like mother, like child: The maternal microbiome impacts offspring asthma

Isabel Tarrant1, B Brett Finlay1

  • 1Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Cell Reports. Medicine
|August 17, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Maternal microbes influence infant asthma risk. Heritable bacteria may suppress allergic inflammation, offering new avenues for asthma prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatric Allergy

Background:

  • The relationship between the maternal microbiome and offspring allergy development is not well understood.
  • Allergic diseases, including asthma, represent a significant global health burden in infants and children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the maternal microbiome and infant asthma susceptibility.
  • To explore the immunomodulatory effects of heritable bacteria on allergic inflammation.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of maternal and infant microbiome composition.
  • Assessment of infant asthma susceptibility.
  • In vitro or in vivo models to study bacterial effects on allergic responses.

Main Results:

  • Identified specific heritable bacteria linked to infant asthma susceptibility.
  • Demonstrated that these bacteria can induce immunosuppression of allergic inflammation.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal microbiome composition plays a role in offspring asthma risk.
  • Heritable bacteria may offer a protective mechanism against allergic inflammation.
  • Findings suggest potential for microbiome-based interventions to prevent infant asthma.

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