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Peñalver Bernabé B, Maki PM, Cunningham JL, Eisenlohr-Moul T, Tussing-Humphreys L, Carroll IM, Meltzer-Brody S, Gilbert JA, Kimmel M. Interactions between perceived stress and microbial-host immune components: two demographically and geographically distinct pregnancy cohorts. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:3. [PMID: 36609477 PMCID: PMC9822983 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02276-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Higher stress during pregnancy associates with negative outcomes and elevated inflammation. The gut microbiota, reflecting environment and social interactions, alongside host immune responses have the potential to better understand perceived stress and identify when stress is excessive in pregnancy. Two U.S. cohorts of 84 pregnant individuals, composed of urban women of color and suburban white women, completed the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and provided fecal and blood samples at two time points. Confirmatory Factor Analysis assessed the robustness of a two-factor PSS-10 model (Emotional Distress/ED and Self-Efficacy/SE). Gut microbiota composition was measured by 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing and the immune system activity was assessed with a panel of 21 T-cell related cytokines and chemokines. ED levels were higher in the suburban compared to the urban cohort, but levels of SE were similar. ED and SE levels were associated with distinct taxonomical signatures and the gut microbiota data improved the prediction of SE levels compared with models based on socio-demographic characteristics alone. Integration of self-reported symptoms, microbial and immune information revealed a possible mediation effect of Bacteroides uniformis between the immune system (through CXCL11) and SE. The study identified links between distinct taxonomical and immunological signatures with perceived stress. The data are congruent with a model where gut microbiome and immune factors, both impacting and reflecting factors such as close social relationships and dietary fiber, may modulate neural plasticity resulting in increased SE during pregnancy. The predictive value of these peripheral markers merit further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Peñalver Bernabé
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Center of Bioinformatics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Pauline M. Maki
- grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Department of Psychology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA ,grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA ,grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Janet L. Cunningham
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tory Eisenlohr-Moul
- grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Department of Psychology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA ,grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Lisa Tussing-Humphreys
- grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Ian M. Carroll
- grid.410711.20000 0001 1034 1720Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Samantha Meltzer-Brody
- grid.410711.20000 0001 1034 1720Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Jack A. Gilbert
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Mary Kimmel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. .,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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