Molecular Alteration Analysis of Human Gut Microbial Composition in Graves’ disease Patients
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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.
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.
Karen Pendergrass
What was studied?
The study investigated the gut microbial composition in patients with Graves’ disease (GD) compared to healthy controls.
Who was studied?
The study involved 27 GD patients and 11 healthy controls, with fecal samples collected for analysis.
What were the most important findings?
The association between gut microbiota and host homeostasis is pivotal for understanding various diseases, including autoimmune disorders like Graves’ disease (GD), characterized by hyperthyroidism and ophthalmopathy. This study hypothesized that gut bacteria play a significant role in GD pathogenicity. To investigate this, the intestinal bacterial composition of 27 GD patients and 11 healthy controls was analyzed using PCR-DGGE of the 16S rRNA gene targeting the V3 region and Real-time PCR for specific bacterial groups. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (V3+V4 regions) was performed on randomly selected samples using the Hiseq2500 platform.
The results revealed a lower diversity of intestinal bacteria in GD patients compared to controls. Statistical analyses indicated significant alterations in bacterial phyla, with a higher relative abundance of Prevotellaceae and Pasteurellaceae, and a lower abundance of Enterobacteriaceae, Veillonellaceae, and Rikenellaceae in GD patients. At the genus level, Prevotella_9 and Haemophilus were significantly increased, whereas Alistipes and Faecalibacterium were decreased in GD patients. Notably, the species Haemophilus parainfluenza was more abundant in GD patients.
What are the greatest implications of this study?
The findings support the hypothesis of gut microbial dysbiosis in GD, suggesting that changes in the gut microbiota may contribute to the disease’s pathogenesis. These insights could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches targeting gut microbiota in GD treatment.