Expansion of intestinal Prevotella copri correlates with enhanced susceptibility to arthritis

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.01202
• Publication Date: 2013-11-05T16:22:01Z
• Authors: Jose U Scher; Andrew Sczesnak; Randy S Longman; Nicola Segata; Carles Ubeda; Craig Bielski; Tim Rostron; Vincenzo Cerundolo; Eric G Pamer; Steven B Abramson; Curtis Huttenhower; Dan R Littman
• Keywords: Prevotella

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent systemic autoimmune disease, caused by combination of genetic and environmental factors. Animal models suggest role for intestinal bacteria in supporting the immune response required joint inflammation. Here we performed 16S sequencing on 114 stool samples from rheumatoid patients controls, shotgun subset 44 such samples. We identified presence Prevotella copri as strongly correlated with disease new-onset untreated (NORA) patients. Increases abundance reduction Bacteroides loss reportedly beneficial microbes NORA subjects. also unique genes that disease. Further, colonization mice revealed ability P. to dominate microbiota resulted an increased sensitivity chemically induced colitis. This work identifies potential pathogenesis RA. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01202.001.