Graves’ Disease Gut Microbiota Signature: Key Microbial Changes in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease Original paper
Researched by:
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Giorgos Aristotelous
ID
Giorgos Aristotelous
Read MoreGiorgos — BSc, MSc. Giorgos is an exercise scientist whose training and professional practice sit at the intersection of human performance, clinical health, and emerging microbiome science. He holds a BSc in Sports Science & Physical Education from Aristotle University (2012) and an MSc in Exercise & Health from Democritus University (2016), where his graduate work explored physiological adaptations to training across the lifespan. Now in his 15th year of practice, Giorgos pairs evidence-based coaching (ACSM-CPT, NSCA, USA Weightlifting) with a research-driven interest in how physical activity, body composition, and musculoskeletal integrity shape—and are shaped by—host–microbiome dynamics.
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Kimberly Eyer
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Kimberly Eyer
Read MoreKimberly Eyer, a Registered Nurse with 30 years of nursing experience across diverse settings, including Home Health, ICU, Operating Room Nursing, and Research. Her roles have encompassed Operating Room Nurse, RN First Assistant, and Acting Director of a Same Day Surgery Center. Her specialty areas include Adult Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Neurosurgery.
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Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune disease is when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's tissues, often linked to imbalances in the microbiome, which can disrupt immune regulation and contribute to disease development.
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Graves Disease
Graves Disease
OverviewGraves’ Disease (GD) affects approximately 0.5% of the population, predominantly women. First-line treatment options—antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine, and surgery— often result in significant side effects, incomplete remissions, and frequent relapses. Further, current first-line treatment options focus on symptoms management, and reflect an inadequate understanding of the etiology of the condition. However, recent research reveals a […]
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Giorgos Aristotelous
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Researched by:
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Giorgos Aristotelous
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Giorgos Aristotelous
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Fact-checked by:
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Kimberly Eyer
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Kimberly Eyer
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Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Giorgos Aristotelous
Location
China
Sample Site
Feces
Species
Homo sapiens
What was studied?
This study, titled “Intestinal microbiota changes in Graves’ disease: a prospective clinical study,” specifically investigated the alterations in gut microbiota composition and diversity in patients with Graves’ disease (GD) compared to healthy controls. Using a cross-sectional design, the researchers employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal samples to characterize the intestinal microbial profiles. The primary aim was to elucidate whether GD, an autoimmune thyroid disorder, is associated with distinct changes in the gut microbiota. The study explored both alpha and beta diversity metrics, as well as the abundance of specific microbial taxa, to determine key differences that might serve as microbiome signatures for GD. This focus on the “Graves’ disease gut microbiota signature” is crucial for understanding the interplay between thyroid autoimmunity and the intestinal ecosystem.
Who was studied?
The study cohort consisted of 39 patients diagnosed with GD and 17 healthy controls, all recruited from Beijing Haidian Hospital, China, between April and December 2017. Participants were matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) to reduce confounders. GD patients were newly diagnosed, untreated, and had no recent exposure to antibiotics, prebiotics, or medications affecting gut flora. Both groups had no history of gastrointestinal diseases. The GD group included 11 males and 28 females (ages 15–67), while the control group had 6 males and 11 females (ages 13–62). All participants adhered to a light diet prior to sample collection to minimize dietary variation effects on gut microbiota.
Most important findings
The analysis revealed a significant reduction in gut microbial diversity among GD patients compared to healthy controls, as evidenced by lower Chao1 and Shannon indices. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), and principal component analysis (PCA) all demonstrated that the overall microbial communities in GD patients were distinctly separated from those of controls, confirming disease-associated dysbiosis.
Crucially, the study identified a unique microbiota signature associated with GD. The relative abundances of several taxa were markedly altered:
| Taxa (Genus/Order/Class) | Trend in GD Patients |
|---|---|
| Bacilli (Class) | Increased |
| Lactobacillales (Order) | Increased |
| Prevotella (Genus) | Increased |
| Megamonas (Genus) | Increased |
| Veillonella (Genus) | Increased |
| Ruminococcus (Genus) | Decreased |
| Rikenellaceae (Family) | Decreased |
| Alistipes (Genus) | Decreased |
Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) confirmed these taxa as potential biomarkers, with LDA scores above 3. Notably, increases in Prevotella and Megamonas have been linked to immune modulation and may impact the efficacy of certain therapies. The diminished presence of Ruminococcus, Rikenellaceae, and Alistipes aligns with findings in other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, suggesting a possible shared microbial mechanism underlying immune dysregulation.
Key implications
This study provides evidence that GD is characterized by a distinct gut microbiota signature, marked by reduced diversity and specific shifts in microbial taxa. The “Graves’ disease gut microbiota signature”—notably increased Bacilli, Lactobacillales, Prevotella, Megamonas, Veillonella, and decreased Ruminococcus, Rikenellaceae, Alistipes—may serve as potential biomarkers for disease presence and progression. These findings highlight the potential utility of gut microbiome profiling in the diagnosis and management of GD, and open avenues for future research into microbiome-targeted interventions. Clinicians should consider that GD-associated dysbiosis may influence disease pathogenesis and responsiveness to treatment. However, causality cannot be inferred due to the study’s cross-sectional design, and results may not be generalizable beyond the Chinese population. The study lays foundational knowledge for integrating microbiome data into precision medicine approaches for autoimmune thyroid diseases.