Metabolic Dependencies of the Influence of Intestinal Microbiota During Pregnancy, Childbirth and Infancy

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences on "Metabolic Dependencies of the Influence of Intestinal Microbiota during Pregnancy, Childbirth and Infancy", supervised by Dr. Małgorzata Katarzyna Szczuko (Pomeranian Medical University, Poland), Dr. Maciej Ziętek (Pomeranian Medical University, Poland), and Dr. Diana Sochaczewska (Pomeranian Medical University, Poland).

The development of the fetal digestive tract microbiota begins during intrauterine life. Disturbed microbiological balance in the mother's digestive tract may cause dysbiosis in herself and her child. Perinatal factors related to intestinal permeability are most important in the first 3 months of the infant's life.

The occurrence of atopic dermatitis in infants is correlated with the method of feeding and antibiotic therapy, which suggests the occurrence of dependencies with the intestinal microbiome. Disturbed colonization of the digestive tract resulting from the amount and diversity of microbiota stimulates an inflammatory response, which is associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in later life. Disturbances of the intestinal bacterial flora lead to the production of undesirable bacterial metabolites, which are also responsible for the symptoms of leaky gut. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin is used to assess these changes. Increased circulating LPS in the body causes increased glucose, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers, as well as increased insulin resistance. Other biomarkers include zonulin, calprotectin, occludin, fatty acid binding proteins, citrulline, glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-2, LPS binding protein (LBP), and amyloid A. Bacterial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) have also been shown to participate in the initiation of the inflammatory process and metabolic changes that are currently little known and scarce. The implications of direct and indirect biomarkers of intestinal permeability and bacterial metabolites on metabolic programming during pregnancy and early childhood are of interest to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Szczuko
Dr. Maciej Ziętek
Guest Editors

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