(P10-058-24) Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy and Lactation on Gut Microbiome and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Profiles of Offspring

Objectives: Perinatal supplementation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has gained attention due to its beneficial effects on offspring cognition. Our lab has reported that maternal DHA intake improves cognition and functional organization in piglet brains. Recent studies highlight that the gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in cognition. This study aimed to determine the effect of sow DHA supplementation on the microbiome and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles of piglets to understand the role of gut microbiome on brain function following perinatal DHA supplementation.

Methods: Sows (n=12) were fed diets with or without DHA, from late gestation throughout lactation. Feces from sows and piglets (n=2/sow) were collected for the analysis of microbiota composition and SCFA concentrations.

Results: Piglets displayed lower microbial α-diversity and SCFA concentrations compared to sows throughout the study (p < 0.05). At farrowing, DHA-fed sows showed changes in Methanobacteriota abundance and acetate concentrations, while piglets from DHA-fed sows displayed a reduced abundance of Bacteroidota and Verrucomicrobiota, with modified acetate and caproate concentrations (p < 0.05). The differences between DHA-fed sows and their offspring became increasingly pronounced at weaning. DHA-fed sows did not display changes in microbial α-diversity, while few shifts in the abundance of phyla were observed (p < 0.05). Conversely, weaning piglets exhibited changes in α-diversity in response to DHA supplementation, measured by increases in Faith’s phylogenetic diversity, number of observed features, Pielou’s evenness and Shannon diversity, by 25.8%, 46.4%, 5.5% and 6.7%, respectively, with alterations in Fusobacteria and Methanobacteriota abundance (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: This study highlights the differences in fecal microbiota and SCFA concentrations between sows and piglets, and their varying responses to DHA supplementation. These findings underscore the need to further explore the effect of DHA supplementation on cognitive function of developing brains via the gut-brain axis.

Funding Sources: The study was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (2020-67017-30839) and the Georgia Experimental Agricultural Station (HATCH, #GEO001002).