Shared gut microbiota features between children with autism spectrum disorder and their mothers

To explore shared gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) features between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their mothers, and to identify key taxa potentially influencing ASD via vertical transmission.

Thirty seven mother-child dyads with ASD were enrolled. Fecal samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and targeted SCFA metabolomics.

The average mother-child shared ASV proportion was 23.92% (relative to child total). Fifteen genera showed significant positive correlations between mothers and children after FDR correction (P < 0.05), including Faecalibacterium (r = 0.518), Subdoligranulum (r = 0.462), and Roseburia hominis (r = 0.458). Propionic acid also exhibited a significant positive correlation (r = 0.418, P = 0.024). Stratified analysis showed that vaginal delivery was associated with significantly higher sharing than Cesarean section. External validation in two public datasets identified Intestinibacter as a consistently ASD-enriched genus.

There is moderate gut microbiota overlap between ASD children and their mothers. Fifteen genera and propionic acid may be vertically transmitted and contribute to ASD, offering potential targets for early intervention.