Gerlando Natalello1, Silvia Laura Bosello1, Francesco Paroni Sterbini2, Brunella Posteraro3, Enrico De Lorenzis1, Giovanni Battista Canestrari1, Laura Gigante1, Lucrezia Verardi1, Gianfranco Ferraccioli1, Maurizio Sanguinetti4, Elisa Gremese5. 1. Institute of Rheumatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Division of Rheumatology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 2. Institute of Microbiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorioe Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 3. Institute of Medical Pathology and Semeiotics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, and Dipartimento di Scienze Gastroenterologiche, Endocrino-Metaboliche e Nefro-Urologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 4. Institute of Microbiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome; 4Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorioe Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 5. Institute of Rheumatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Division of Rheumatology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. elisa.gremese@unicatt.it.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare multi-organ disorder with a prominent gastrointestinal (GI) involvement. Altered gut microbiota is now considered a pivotal factor associated with the development of immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases. We performed a 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-sequencing analysis of fecal microbiota in a cohort of SSc patients and matched healthy controls (HCs), with the aim to obtain some hints about a possible role of dysbiosis in the onset, progression, and severity of the disease. METHODS: We analysed stool samples from 63 SSc patients with different disease duration, phenotype, and nutritional status and from 17 HCs through 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-sequencing. RESULTS: Microbial richness was lower for patients with long-standing disease. A similar observation was made for patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dsSSc) compared to those with limited variant (lcSSc) and for patients who reported a recent weight loss. Consistent with previous reports, we noted a deviation of the intestinal microbial composition in patients with SSc compared to HCs, with a greater expression of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus and a depletion of Sutterella. Nutritional status, assessed using BMI as a surrogate, appeared to have a marked impact on the gut microbiota, with overweight patients showing lower richness compared both to underweight and normal-BMI patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings expand the current knowledge of gut microbiota in SSc and could be useful to identify patients who would most benefit from treatments aimed at restoring the eu-biosis.
OBJECTIVES:Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare multi-organ disorder with a prominent gastrointestinal (GI) involvement. Altered gut microbiota is now considered a pivotal factor associated with the development of immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases. We performed a 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-sequencing analysis of fecal microbiota in a cohort of SSc patients and matched healthy controls (HCs), with the aim to obtain some hints about a possible role of dysbiosis in the onset, progression, and severity of the disease. METHODS: We analysed stool samples from 63 SSc patients with different disease duration, phenotype, and nutritional status and from 17 HCs through 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-sequencing. RESULTS: Microbial richness was lower for patients with long-standing disease. A similar observation was made for patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dsSSc) compared to those with limited variant (lcSSc) and for patients who reported a recent weight loss. Consistent with previous reports, we noted a deviation of the intestinal microbial composition in patients with SSc compared to HCs, with a greater expression of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus and a depletion of Sutterella. Nutritional status, assessed using BMI as a surrogate, appeared to have a marked impact on the gut microbiota, with overweight patients showing lower richness compared both to underweight and normal-BMI patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings expand the current knowledge of gut microbiota in SSc and could be useful to identify patients who would most benefit from treatments aimed at restoring the eu-biosis.
Authors: Henrik Pettersson; Helene Alexanderson; Janet L Poole; Janos Varga; Malin Regardt; Anne-Marie Russell; Yasser Salam; Kelly Jensen; Jennifer Mansour; Tracy Frech; Carol Feghali-Bostwick; Cecília Varjú; Nancy Baldwin; Matty Heenan; Kim Fligelstone; Monica Holmner; Matthew R Lammi; Mary Beth Scholand; Lee Shapiro; Elizabeth R Volkmann; Lesley Ann Saketkoo Journal: Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol Date: 2021-07-01 Impact factor: 4.991