Fengyan Chen1, Qinzhi Wei2, Dafeng Xu1,3, Yuanhuan Wei1,4, Jue Wang1, William Kwame Amakye1, Jialiang Pan5, Zhuang Cui6, Zheqing Zhang7. 1. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. 2. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Food Safety and Health Research Center, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. 3. Department of Nutrition, Chenzhou First People's Hospital, Chenzhou, China. 4. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China. 5. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Hygiene Detection Center, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. 6. Division of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Department of Orthopaedics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. cuizhuang@smu.edu.cn. 7. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. zzqaa501@smu.edu.cn.
Abstract
PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate whether the gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are associated with bone mass in healthy children aged 6-9 years. METHODS: In this study, 236 healthy children including 145 boys and 91 girls were enrolled. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the composition of their gut microbiota. Total and 10 subtypes of SCFAs in the fecal samples were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Dual X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) for total body (TB) and total body less head (TBLH). Z score of TBLH BMD was calculated based on the recommended reference. RESULTS: Four gut microbiota principal components (PCs) were identified by the compositional principal component analysis at the genus level. After adjustment of covariates and controlling for the false discovery rate, multiple linear regression analysis showed that PC3 score (positive loadings on genera Lachnoclostridium and Blautia) was significantly negatively associated with TBLH BMD/BMC/Z score, TB BMC and pelvic BMD (β: - 0.207 to - 0.108, p: 0.002-0.048), whereas fecal total and several subtypes of SCFAs were correlated positively with TBLH BMD/Z score and pelvic BMD (β: 0.118-0.174, p: 0.038-0.048). However, these associations disappeared after additional adjustment for body weight. Mediation analysis suggested that body weight significantly mediated 60.4% and 78.0% of the estimated association of PC3 score and SCFAs with TBLH BMD Z score, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The associations of gut microbiota composition and fecal SCFA concentrations with bone mass in children were largely mediated by body weight.
PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate whether the gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are associated with bone mass in healthy children aged 6-9 years. METHODS: In this study, 236 healthy children including 145 boys and 91 girls were enrolled. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the composition of their gut microbiota. Total and 10 subtypes of SCFAs in the fecal samples were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Dual X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) for total body (TB) and total body less head (TBLH). Z score of TBLHBMD was calculated based on the recommended reference. RESULTS: Four gut microbiota principal components (PCs) were identified by the compositional principal component analysis at the genus level. After adjustment of covariates and controlling for the false discovery rate, multiple linear regression analysis showed that PC3 score (positive loadings on genera Lachnoclostridium and Blautia) was significantly negatively associated with TBLHBMD/BMC/Z score, TB BMC and pelvic BMD (β: - 0.207 to - 0.108, p: 0.002-0.048), whereas fecal total and several subtypes of SCFAs were correlated positively with TBLHBMD/Z score and pelvic BMD (β: 0.118-0.174, p: 0.038-0.048). However, these associations disappeared after additional adjustment for body weight. Mediation analysis suggested that body weight significantly mediated 60.4% and 78.0% of the estimated association of PC3 score and SCFAs with TBLHBMD Z score, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The associations of gut microbiota composition and fecal SCFA concentrations with bone mass in children were largely mediated by body weight.
Entities:
Keywords:
Body weight; Bone density; Child; Cross-sectional study; Gut microbiota; Short-chain fatty acids
Authors: Sébastien Lucas; Yasunori Omata; Jörg Hofmann; Martin Böttcher; Aida Iljazovic; Kerstin Sarter; Olivia Albrecht; Oscar Schulz; Brenda Krishnacoumar; Gerhard Krönke; Martin Herrmann; Dimitrios Mougiakakos; Till Strowig; Georg Schett; Mario M Zaiss Journal: Nat Commun Date: 2018-01-04 Impact factor: 14.919