Altered Gut Microbiota in Chinese Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Original paper

What was studied?

This study examined altered gut microbiota in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), addressing how microbial community structure differs from neurotypical peers. The focus keyphrase altered gut microbiota in Chinese children with ASD captures the central aim: to determine whether Chinese children with ASD show distinct microbiome signatures that might inform clinical interpretation or future microbiome-based diagnostics. Using 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples, the research identified differences in alpha and beta diversity, family-level and genus-level microbial shifts, and potential functional implications based on KEGG pathway predictions. The work adds critical geographic specificity, as most prior ASD-microbiome literature centers on Western cohorts.

Who was studied?

Ninety children aged 6–9 years participated: 45 with clinically confirmed ASD and 45 age- and sex-matched neurotypical controls. The ASD group primarily consisted of boys (39 of 45), reflecting known sex distribution patterns in ASD. Participants were recruited from Guangzhou, China, and none had taken antibiotics or probiotics in the preceding three months. Dietary intake, birth characteristics, and parental education were documented to control for confounding variables. Fecal samples from 39 ASD children and all controls were analyzed.

Most important findings

Children with ASD exhibited lower microbial richness and diversity, as demonstrated by reduced ACE and phylogenetic diversity indices. Beta diversity analysis (Bray–Curtis and unweighted UniFrac) showed distinct microbial community clustering in ASD. At the phylum level, no significant differences emerged, but finer taxonomic resolution revealed key alterations. Acidaminococcaceae was significantly lower in ASD children. Genera such as Lachnoclostridium, Tyzzerella subgroup 4, Flavonifractor, and unidentified Lachnospiraceae were also reduced. Conversely, Clostridium clostridioforme was elevated in ASD. These microbial signatures resonate with prior findings linking ASD to reduced butyrate-producing taxa—particularly Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. Butyrate is essential for epithelial barrier integrity and immune modulation, suggesting the shifts observed may contribute to systemic inflammation associated with ASD. KEGG-based functional prediction revealed no statistically significant metabolic differences after correction, though heatmaps on page 8 show subtle shifts in pathways related to metabolism, immune function, and neurotransmission.

Key implications

The findings strengthen evidence that ASD in Chinese children is associated with gut microbial dysbiosis distinguished by decreased diversity and a reduction in beneficial butyrate-producing lineages. These alterations may influence intestinal barrier stability, immune signaling, and possibly neurobehavioral pathways through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. The consistency of low-abundance yet functionally important taxa highlights the need for mechanistic work using metabolomics and metagenomics. Clinically, these microbial patterns may eventually support microbiome-based stratification, symptom correlation, or therapeutic targeting in ASD management within East Asian populations.

Citation

Ma B, Liang J, Dai M, Wang J, Luo J, Zhang Z, Jing J. Altered Gut Microbiota in Chinese Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2019;9:40. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2019.00040