Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as “diagnosed as impaired glucose tolerance for the first time during pregnancy,” which can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes and produces divergent effects on mothers and newborns. In recent years, with the continuous expansion of obese people, GDM shows an upward trend. The abundant and diverse members of the human gut microbiota exert critical roles in the maintenance of human health. Studies have shown that GDM may be associated with disordered gut microbiota in both mothers and newborns. Taking into account the potential effects on maternal and consequently neonatal health, in this review, we analyzed the available data and discussed the current knowledge about the potential relationship between GDM and intestinal dysbiosis in mothers and newborns. In addition, we also discussed the influencing factors derived from GDM mothers on the gut microbiome of their newborns, including the vertical transmission of microbiota from mothers, the alteration of milk components of GDM mothers, and using of probiotics. Hoping that new insights into the role of the gut microbiota in GDM could lead to the development of integrated strategies to prevent and treat these metabolic disorders.

Breast milk is rich in sialic acids (SA), which are commonly combined with milk oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. As a functional nutrient component, SA-containing milk components have received increasing attention in recent years. Sialylated human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) have been demonstrated to promote the growth and metabolism of beneficial gut microbiota in infants, bringing positive outcomes to intestinal health and immune function. They also exhibit antiviral and bacteriostatic activities in the intestinal mucosa of new-borns, thereby inhibiting the adhesion of pathogens to host cells. These properties play a pivotal role in regulating the intestinal microbial ecosystem and preventing the occurrence of neonatal inflammatory diseases. In addition, some recent studies also support the promoting effects of sialylated HMOs on neonatal bone and brain development. In addition to HMOs, sialylated glycoproteins and glycolipids are abundant in milk, and are also critical to neonatal health. This article reviews the current research progress in the regulation of sialylated milk oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates on neonatal gut microbiota and health.

Food allergy is a significant public health problem troubling people, and the incidence has been on the rise in the past decade. Emerging evidence suggests an influence of the gut microbiota in susceptibility to food allergies. Epidemiological studies have shown an association between altered exposure to the microbiome and the risk of food allergies. Intervention of the gut microbiota in germ-free mice or supplementation of probiotics can regulate the proliferation of regulatory T (Treg) cells in mice and inhibit food allergy by promoting the expression of receptor-associated orphan γt+ (RORγt+) regulatory T (Treg) cells and inhibiting the proliferation of T helper 2 (Th2) and Th17 cells. This paper reviews the current research progress on how the gut microbiota enhances immune tolerance to prevent food allergy through RORγt+ Treg, hoping to provide some new ideas and effective targets for the prophylaxis of food allergy.

The human gastrointestinal mucosa is colonized by thousands of microorganisms, which participate in a variety of physiological functions. Intestinal dysbiosis is closely associated with the pathogenesis of several human diseases. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which include NK cells, ILC1s, ILC2s, ILC3s and LTi cells, are a type of innate immune cells. They are enriched in the mucosal tissues of the body, and have recently received extensive attention. The gut microbiota and its metabolites play important roles in various intestinal mucosal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), allergic disease, and cancer. Therefore, studies on ILCs and their interaction with the gut microbiota have great clinical significance owing to their potential for identifying pharmacotherapy targets for multiple related diseases. This review expounds on the progress in research on ILCs differentiation and development, the biological functions of the intestinal microbiota, and its interaction with ILCs in disease conditions in order to provide novel ideas for disease treatment in the future.