AUTHOR=Lv Li-Juan , Li Sheng-Hui , Li Shao-Chuan , Zhong Zhi-Cheng , Duan Hong-Li , Tian Cheng , Li Hui , He Wei , Chen Min-Chai , He Tian-Wen , Wang Yu-Nan , Zhou Xin , Yao Lena , Yin Ai-Hua 

TITLE=Early-Onset Preeclampsia Is Associated With Gut Microbial Alterations in Antepartum and Postpartum Women

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00224

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2019.00224

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Imbalances in gut microbiota composition are linked to hypertension, host metabolic abnormalities, systemic inflammation, and other conditions. In the present study, we examined the changes of gut microbiota in women with early-onset preeclampsia (PE) and in normotensive, uncomplicated pregnant women during late pregnancy and at 1 and 6 weeks postpartum.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Gut microbiota profiles of women with PE and healthy pregnant women in the third trimester and at 1 and 6 weeks postpartum were assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP), zonulin, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were measured in the third trimesters.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> At the genus level, 8 bacterial genera were significantly enriched in the antepartum samples of PE patients compared to healthy controls, of which <italic>Blautia, Ruminococcus2, Bilophila</italic>, and <italic>Fusobacterium</italic> represented the major variances in PE microbiomes. Conversely, 5 genera, including <italic>Faecalibacterium, Gemmiger, Akkermansia, Dialister</italic>, and <italic>Methanobrevibacter</italic>, were significantly depleted in antepartum PE samples. Maternal blood pressure and liver enzyme levels were positively correlated to the PE-enriched genera such as <italic>Anaerococcus, Ruminococcus2, Oribacterium</italic>, and <italic>Bilophila</italic>, while the fetal features (e.g., Apgar score and newborn birth weight) were positively correlated with PE-depleted genera and negatively correlated with PE-enriched genera. Moreover, maternal blood IL-6 level was positively associated with gut <italic>Bilophila</italic> and <italic>Oribacterium</italic>, whereas LPS level was negatively associated with <italic>Akkermansia</italic>. In terms of postpartum women, both the gut microbial composition and the PE-associated microbial alterations were highly consistent with those of the antepartum women.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> PE diagnosed in the third trimester of pregnancy is associated with a disrupted gut microbiota composition compared with uncomplicated pregnant women, which are associated with maternal clinical features (blood pressure level and liver dysfunction) and newborn birth weight. Moreover, these antepartum alterations in gut microbiota persisted 6 weeks postpartum.</p>