Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38382594›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced research2025

Melatonin alleviates high temperature exposure induced fetal growth restriction via the gut-placenta-fetus axis in pregnant mice.

Jia-Jin Wu, Xiaoyu Zheng, Caichi Wu, Wen Ma, Yibo Wang, Jun Wang, Yulong Wei, Xiangfang Zeng, Shihai Zhang, Wutai Guan and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
28.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 26 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Jia-Jin WuState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Henry Fok School of Biology and Agriculture, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan 512005, China; National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Xiaoyu ZhengState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Caichi WuState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Wen MaState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Yibo WangState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Jun WangState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Yulong WeiState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Xiangfang ZengState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
Shihai ZhangState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Wutai GuanState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Fang ChenState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: chenfang1111@scau.edu.cn.
South China Agricultural University · CNMinistry of Agriculture · ID

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionGlobal warming augments the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in vulnerable expectant mothers. Pioneering investigations into heat stress (HS) have predominantly centered on its direct impact on reproductive functions, while the potential roles of gut microbiota, despite its significant influence on distant tissues, remain largely unexplored. Our understanding of deleterious mechanisms of HS and the development of effective intervention strategies to mitigate the detrimental impacts are still limited.

objectivesIn this study, we aimed to explore the mechanisms by which melatonin targets gut microbes to alleviate HS-induced reproductive impairment.

methodsWe firstly evaluated the alleviating effects of melatonin supplementation on HS-induced reproductive disorder in pregnant mice. Microbial elimination and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments were then conducted to confirm the efficacy of melatonin through regulating gut microbiota. Finally, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged experiment was performed to verify the mechanism by which melatonin alleviates HS-induced reproductive impairment.

resultsMelatonin supplementation reinstated gut microbiota in heat stressed pregnant mice, reducing LPS-producing bacteria (Aliivibrio) and increasing beneficial butyrate-producing microflora (Butyricimonas). This restoration corresponded to decreased LPS along the maternal gut-placenta-fetus axis, accompanied by enhanced intestinal and placental barrier integrity, safeguarding fetuses from oxidative stress and inflammation, and ultimately improving fetal weight. Further pseudo-sterile and fecal microbiota transplantation trials confirmed that the protective effect of melatonin on fetal intrauterine growth under HS was partially dependent on gut microbiota. In LPS-challenged pregnant mice, melatonin administration mitigated placental barrier injury and abnormal angiogenesis via the inactivation of the TLR4/MAPK/VEGF signaling pathway, ultimately leading to enhanced nutrient transportation in the placenta and thereby improving the fetal weight.

conclusionMelatonin alleviates HS-induced low fetal weight during pregnancy via the gut-placenta-fetus axis, the first time highlighting the gut microbiota as a novel intervention target to mitigate the detrimental impact of global temperature rise on vulnerable populations.

Indexed as

Fetal Growth RetardationGastrointestinal MicrobiomeMelatoninPlacentaAnimalsFecal Microbiota TransplantationFemaleFetusHot TemperatureLipopolysaccharidesMicePregnancyLipopolysaccharidesMelatoninGut microbial dysbiosisHeat stressLPSMelatonin administrationPlacental barrier

Identifiers

PMID38382594
PMCPMC11785557
OpenAlexW4391940923

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.