Intrauterine Inflammation, Epigenetics, and Microbiome Influences on Preterm Infant Health

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Significant research reveals that the microbiome modulates perinatal and postnatal health. This review aims to examine mechanisms by which intrauterine infection, the epigenome, and microbiome specifically influence preterm infant health outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: Intrauterine infection is a primary cause of preterm birth and can cause alterations in gene expression and epigenetic programming as well as postnatal inflammatory responses in the offspring. Insights from our own studies demonstrate epigenetic modifications of TLRs associated with exposure to intrauterine inflammation, as well as a cross talk between host epigenome and microbiome. Lastly, the gut microbiome modulates maturation of inflammatory pathways, which influences the development of preterm infants. SUMMARY: We present a unifying theme that preterm infant outcomes are associated with modulation of host immune and inflammatory responses, which are influenced by acute intrauterine infection, epigenetic, and microbiome factors.