A team of researchers in the
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (DBSP) at the
Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, US has explored the possible
role of gut microbiota in the link between pregnancy and the exacerbation of
lupus.
The research was undertaken to
understand the higher risk of severe flares and help women with lupus
experience healthy pregnancies and successful outcomes, by improving
therapeutic approaches.
The research team examined the
changes of gut microbiota structure with or without the experience of
pregnancy, as well as the different responses of the immune system to the same
microbiota-modulating strategies in unaffected versus postpartum lupus-prone
mice.
The results indicate that the
strategies benefitting the unaffected mice actually worsened lupus disease in
postpartum mice.
“Our findings suggest that the
gut microbiota may regulate lupus flares in pregnant women,†said Xin M Luo,
associate professor of immunology in DBSP. “Our work helps to uncover the
mechanisms underlying pregnancy-induced disease flares and offers the
possibility of developing new therapeutic strategies for pregnant women with
lupus.
“For patients with autoimmune
lupus, diet and probiotics are the two relatively easy and acceptable
approaches that can potentially improve disease management through modulating
the gut microbiota,†Luo continued. “But it is challenging to achieve this goal
due to the complexity of the disease pathologies, the complexity of gut
microbiota and the differences of gut microbiota communities among
individuals.â€
For its next steps, the research
team plans to investigate the interaction between sex hormones and gut
microbiota in regulating lupus pathogenesis.
Future investigations will focus
on lupus nephritis, the leading cause of mortality in lupus patients, to
further delineate the role of gut microbiota in the link between pregnancy and
exacerbated lupus, said Luo.
From source: https://www.drugtargetreview.com/news/49310/gut-microbiota-role-studied-pregnant-women-with-lupus/
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