A gut feeling for myelin: Maternal microbiome steers offspring brain wiring
A new study in *Brain* reveals a direct epigenetic link between the maternal gut microbiome and central nervous system myelination in offspring. Researchers found that antibiotic-induced maternal dysbiosis led to significant hypomyelination, a deficit that could be rescued by postnatal supplementation with the microbial metabolite propionate. This short-chain fatty acid promoted both developmental myelination and remyelination after injury by inducing oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation. The mechanism involves propionate-induced histone H4K12 lactylation, which activates a cGMP-PKG signaling pathway and upregulates transcription factors essential for oligodendrocyte maturation.
Study Significance: This research uncovers a novel, diet-modifiable pathway connecting maternal microbial metabolism to offspring brain development, with direct implications for neurodevelopmental disorders and demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis. For neurologists and neuroscientists, it highlights the potential of targeting the gut-brain axis and specific epigenetic marks, such as histone lactylation, as a strategic therapeutic approach. It shifts the paradigm for understanding neurodevelopment by positioning maternal microbiome-derived metabolites as key regulators of neural circuit maturation and repair.
Source →Stay curious. Stay informed — with Science Briefing.
Always double check the original article for accuracy.
