The gut microbiota in multiple sclerosis varies with disease activity

• DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01148-1
• Publication Date: 2023-01-05T09:03:49Z
• Authors: Florence Thirion; Finn Sellebjerg; Yong Fan; Liwei Lyu; Tue H. Hansen; Nicolas Pons; Florence Levenez; Benoit Quinquis; Evelina Stankevic; Helle B. Søndergaard; Thomas M. Dantoft; Casper S. Poulsen; Sofia K. Forslund; Henrik Vestergaard; Torben Hansen; Susanne Brix; Annette Oturai; Per Soelberg Søre...; Stanislav D. Ehrlich; Oluf Pedersen
• Keywords: Pathogenesis

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the brain and spinal cord resulting in physical cognitive impairment young adults. It hypothesized that disrupted bacterial viral gut microbiota part pathogenesis mediating impact through an altered microbiota-brain axis. The aim this study to explore characteristics multiple associate it with variables, as etiology remains only partially known. Methods Here, case-control setting involving 148 Danish cases matched healthy control subjects, we performed shotgun sequencing fecal microbial DNA associated findings plasma cytokines, blood cell gene expression profiles, activity. Results We found 61 species were differentially abundant when comparing all controls, among which 31 enriched cases. A cluster inflammation markers composed leukocytes, CRP, IL17A IL6 was positively sclerosis-related species. Bacterial more disease-active treatment-naïve linked group cytokines including IL-22, IL-17A, IFN-β, IL-33, TNF-α. richness number relapses over follow-up period 2 years. However, non-disease-active cases, identified two species, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii Gordonibacter urolithinfaciens , whose absolute abundance enriched. These bacteria are known produce anti-inflammatory metabolites butyrate urolithin. In addition, had higher diversity Caudovirales bacteriophages . Conclusions Considerable aberrations present patients directly biomarkers inflammation, Yet, finding symbiotic favorable immune-modulating compounds provides rationale for testing these adjunct therapeutics future clinical trials.