Meeting Abstract
The acquisition of microorganisms by a newborn mammal during birth and thereafter prime the infant gastrointestinal tract and may have both immediate and lasting effects throughout the lifespan of the offspring. The transfer of beneficial microorganisms from mother to infant is highly dependent on the condition of the maternal gut microbiome. Inadequate establishment of the infant gut microbiome has been linked to lasting health concerns, and dysbiosis within the adult gut microbiome via antibiotic administration has been linked to behavioral and physiological changes. Therefore, maternal intake of antibiotics during breastfeeding may alter the maternal gut microbiome and subsequently impact the offspring. We investigated the consequences of maternal antibiotic administration on behavior and physiology of both dams and offspring Siberian hamsters. Hamsters were given an oral dose of broad-spectrum antibiotic daily from parturition for one week. Offspring from these mothers were then raised to adulthood and mated. We show that maternal care was not directly affected by antibiotic administration. However, the offspring of antibiotic-administered mothers exhibited aberrant maternal behaviors toward their own offspring. Data on changes in the gut microbiome for all three generations and their relationship to adult behavior will be presented. Collectively, these findings provide insight on the intergenerational effects of maternal gut dysbiosis on physiological and behavioral responses of offspring.
