# Dietary Glyceryl Monolaurate Supplementation During Pregnancy Enhances Fetal Intrauterine Development and Antioxidant Capacity in Sows via Microbiota Modulation

## TL;DR

Adding glyceryl monolaurate to pregnant sows' diets improves fetal development and antioxidant capacity by changing gut bacteria.

## Contribution

This study shows how GML improves fetal development through microbiota modulation in sows.

## Key findings

- GML improved neonatal intestinal and muscle development in treated sows.
- GML enriched SCFA-producing bacteria like Lactobacillus and Akkermansia in maternal gut microbiota.
- GML increased SCFA levels and antioxidant capacity while inhibiting inflammatory pathways.

## Abstract

This study elucidates the mechanisms underlying the positive effect of glyceryl monolaurate (GML) on fetal intrauterine development via maternal gut-microbiota modulating effects using a sow model. Addition of GML (1000 mg/kg) improved neonatal intestinal conditions (jejunal villus height, VH/CD ratio and tight junctions) and dorsal longissimus muscle (MyoD, MyoG and MSTN) development in the GML-treated group. Furthermore, GML improved maternal gut microbiota composition by enriching short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria Lactobacillus and Akkermansia. Meanwhile, SCFA concentrations in sow feces and newborn plasma, as well as their receptors (GPR41/43) in intestine and muscle were upregulated with GML, corresponding with enhanced antioxidative and anti-inflammatory capacity. Further correlation analysis revealed Akkermansia and Lactobacillus positively correlated with SCFAs, antioxidative indicators, and anti-inflammatory capacity markers. Moreover, GML inhibited the activation of the MAPK/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway. In summary, GML enhanced fetal intrauterine development by modulating sow intestinal SCFA-producing bacteria.