From Mother to Infant: Unveiling the Metabolic Transfer of Plant Bioactives During Pregnancy and Lactation

Description du projet

Le parcours alimentaire de la mère au nourrisson

Les habitudes alimentaires des mères ont un impact considérable sur la santé métabolique de leurs bébés, c’est pourquoi une alimentation saine, riche en fruits et légumes, en viande maigre et en nutriments, avant et pendant la grossesse, est cruciale. Soutenu par le programme Actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie, le projet METABOFLOW va étudier les processus métaboliques. Il se penchera notamment sur le transport, de la mère à l’enfant, des composés bioactifs végétaux (antioxydants phénoliques et caroténoïdes) dans l’utérus et pendant l’allaitement. Malheureusement, la plupart des femmes consomment trop peu de fruits et légumes. L’objectif du projet est de fournir des informations exploitables pour façonner les politiques et éclairer les décisions visant à réduire les inégalités sanitaires.

Objectif

METABOFLOW aims to unravel the metabolic transfer of plant-derived bioactive compounds from mother to infant during pregnancy and lactation. Fruits and vegetables, the main dietary sources of phenolics, carotenoids, and alkaloids, provide compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antimicrobial properties. These bioactives are increasingly recognized for their potential role in fetal growth, neurodevelopment, immune competence, and long-term health. However, more than 85% of pregnant and lactating women fail to reach the WHO-recommended intake of 400 g/day of fruits and vegetables, limiting neonatal exposure to these compounds and exacerbating health inequalities. Despite their relevance, there is a striking lack of quantitative evidence on maternal–fetal transfer during gestation and on maternal–neonatal transfer through breastfeeding, particularly beyond phenolic compounds.

This fellowship will address these critical gaps by combining advanced mass spectrometry, nutrition, microbiomics, and statistical modelling to trace and quantify the flow of plant bioactives in the mother–infant dyad. Biological samples from two established European cohorts (MAMI and MILCH) will be analysed, including placenta, amniotic fluid, breast milk, meconium, urine, and faeces, allowing the identification of metabolites absorbed from the maternal diet and transferred to the infant. The project will characterise inter-individual variability linked to maternal diet, gut microbiota, and genetics, and define metabotypes associated with different neonatal exposures.

By integrating multi-omics data, METABOFLOW will generate the first comprehensive map of bioactive compound transfer and its relation to early gut microbiota development. Outcomes will provide evidence-based knowledge to support maternal nutrition guidelines, precision nutrition strategies, and EU health policies aimed at reducing inequalities from the earliest stages of life.