Impact of maternal obesity on the gestational metabolome and infant metabolome, brain, and behavioral development in rhesus macaques

Maternal gestational obesity is associated with elevated risks for neurodevelopmental disorder, including autism spectrum disorder. However, the mechanisms by which maternal adiposity influences fetal developmental programming remain to be elucidated. We aimed to understand the impact of maternal obesity on the metabolism of both pregnant mothers and their offspring, as well as on metabolic, brain, and behavioral development of offspring by utilizing metabolomics, protein, and behavioral assays in a non-human primate model. We found that maternal obesity was associated with elevated inflammation and significant alterations in metabolites of energy metabolism and one-carbon metabolism in maternal plasma and urine, as well as in placenta. Infants born to obese mothers were significantly larger at birth compared to those born to lean mothers. Additionally, they exhibited significantly reduced novelty preference and significant alterations in their emotional response to stress situations. T...

妊娠期母体肥胖与包括孤独症谱系障碍（autism spectrum disorder）在内的神经发育障碍风险升高显著相关。然而，母体脂肪堆积影响胎儿发育编程的具体机制仍有待阐明。本研究采用非人灵长类动物模型，采用代谢组学（metabolomics）、蛋白质检测及行为学实验技术，旨在探究母体肥胖对妊娠母体及其后代代谢的影响，以及对子代代谢、脑部与行为发育的作用。研究结果显示，母体肥胖与母体血浆、尿液及胎盘组织中炎症水平升高、能量代谢与一碳代谢相关代谢物的显著改变密切相关。相较于体重偏瘦的妊娠母体所产子代，肥胖母体所产子代在出生时体重显著更高。此外，这些子代表现出显著降低的新异偏好，且对应激环境的情绪反应出现明显异常。T...