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BMC Women's Health
Published in: BMC Women's Health 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Endometriosis | Research

Assessing the relationship between gut microbiota and endometriosis: a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomization analysis

Authors: Chunxiao Dang, Zhenting Chen, Yuyan Chai, Pengfei Liu, Xiao Yu, Yan Liu, Jinxing Liu

Published in: BMC Women's Health | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

An increasing body of observational studies have indicated an association between gut microbiota and endometriosis. However, the causal relationship between them is not yet clear. In this study, we employed Mendelian randomization method to investigate the causal relationship between 211 gut microbiota taxa and endometriosis.

Methods

Independent genetic loci significantly associated with the relative abundance of 211 gut microbiota taxa, based on predefined thresholds, were extracted as instrumental variables. The primary analytical approach employed was the IVW method. Effect estimates were assessed primarily using the odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. Supplementary analyses were conducted using MR-Egger regression, the weighted median method, the simple mode and the weighted mode method to complement the IVW results. In addition, we conducted tests for heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, sensitivity analysis, and MR Steiger to assess the robustness of the results and the strength of the causal relationships.

Results

Based on the IVW method, we found that the family Prevotellaceae, genus Anaerotruncus, genus Olsenella, genus Oscillospira, and order Bacillales were identified as risk factors for endometriosis, while class Melainabacteria and genus Eubacterium ruminantium group were protective factors. Additionally, no causal relationship was observed between endometriosis and gut microbiota. Heterogeneity tests, pleiotropy tests, and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses did not detect any significant heterogeneity or pleiotropic effects.

Conclusions

Our MR study has provided evidence supporting a potential causal relationship between gut microbiota and endometriosis, and it suggests the absence of bidirectional causal effects. These findings could potentially offer new insights for the development of novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of endometriosis.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Assessing the relationship between gut microbiota and endometriosis: a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomization analysis
Authors
Chunxiao Dang
Zhenting Chen
Yuyan Chai
Pengfei Liu
Xiao Yu
Yan Liu
Jinxing Liu
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Women's Health / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6874
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-02945-z

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