Maternal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation shapes offspring gut microbiota to modulate the gut-brain axis in a sow-piglet model

Introduction: Modification of maternal nutrition during the perinatal period represents an important window that may influence offspring neurodevelopment. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a key omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in the brain, is reported to have beneficial effects on cognitive outcomes of infants. However, its specific effects on the shaping of gut microbiota to influence the piglet gut-brain axis remain to be elucidated. Methods: Using a sow-piglet model, this study aimed to investigate changes in offspring gut microbiota, intestinal barrier integrity, and their correlations with brain resting-state functional connectivity following maternal supplementation of DHA. Results: Piglets born to DHA-supplemented sows showed significant differences in microbial alpha- and beta-diversity compared to control piglets. Jejunal claudin-1 expression was upregulated in DHA piglets, and tight junction protein levels were positively correlated with specific microbial taxa. Furthermore, gut microbial diversity and specific taxa were significantly associated with functional brain networks. Discussion: Our findings demonstrate the role of maternal DHA supplementation in shaping offspring gut microbiome and gut integrity, potentially altering offspring brain function networks. Furthermore, these results underscore the importance of gut microbiota shaping through perinatal nutritional interventions as a means of programming the gut-brain axis in the early stages of life.