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Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Maternal stress is associated with oral microbiota diversity patterns in pregnant women in Quito, Ecuador
Gabriela Vasco1, Juan Jácome-Navarrete1, Vinicio Ponce2
1Carrera de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, 170521, Ecuador.
Background:
Psychological stress is present in almost all pregnancies and contributes to maternal and fetal physiology. Human microbiota is dynamic and highly responsive to maternal stress.
Aims:
To characterize maternal stress levels and their association with oral microbiota diversity patterns in pregnant women attending a public hospital in Quito, Ecuador.
Methods:
Pregnant women were recruited at a public hospital upon presentation for labor. Stress levels were assessed using the 13-item Perceived Stress Scale. Oral mucosa samples were collected before the mothers entered the delivery room. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, from the extracted DNA of the samples, was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq® platform. Alpha and beta diversity were evaluated using Shannon, Faith's PD, and weighted UniFrac metrics. Group differences were tested with PERMANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p < 0.05).
Results:
Fifty-six women were included, with low (35.7%), moderate (50.0%), and very high (14.3%) perceived stress levels. Alpha diversity was greater in the very high-perceived stress group compared with low and moderate groups (Shannon 4.58 vs. 3.85 and 3.99; p = 0.01-0.04; Faith 5.15 vs. 4.17 and 4.43; p = 0.01-0.02). Patescibacteria and Bacillota (Firmicutes) were depleted in highly stressed women. Beta diversity showed no differences.
Conclusion:
Maternal stress was associated with increased oral alpha diversity, primarily driven by changes in community evenness, without significant shifts in beta diversity.
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