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01-12-2021 | Myasthenia Gravis | Research article

Metagenome-wide association study of gut microbiome revealed potential microbial marker set for diagnosis of pediatric myasthenia gravis

Authors: Peng Liu, Yiqi Jiang, Shanshan Gu, Yinping Xue, Hongxia Yang, Yongzhao Li, Yaxuan Wang, Congya Yan, Pei Jia, Xiaoting Lin, Guoyan Qi

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an acquired immune-mediated disorder of the neuromuscular junction that causes fluctuating skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue. Pediatric MG and adult MG have many different characteristics, and current MG diagnostic methods for children are not quite fit. Previous studies indicate that alterations in the gut microbiota may be associated with adult MG. However, it has not been determined whether the gut microbiota are altered in pediatric MG patients.

Methods

Our study recruited 53 pediatric MG patients and 46 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). We sequenced the fecal samples of recruited individuals using whole-genome shotgun sequencing and analyzed the data with in-house bioinformatics pipeline.

Results

We built an MG disease classifier based on the abundance of five species, Fusobacterium mortiferum, Prevotella stercorea, Prevotella copri, Megamonas funiformis, and Megamonas hypermegale. The classifier obtained 94% area under the curve (AUC) in cross-validation and 84% AUC in the independent validation cohort. Gut microbiome analysis revealed the presence of human adenovirus F/D in 10 MG patients. Significantly different pathways and gene families between MG patients and HC belonged to P. copri, Clostridium bartlettii, and Bacteroides massiliensis. Based on functional annotation, we found that the gut microbiome affects the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and we confirmed the decrease in SCFA levels in pediatric MG patients via serum tests.

Conclusions

The study indicated that altered fecal microbiota might play vital roles in pediatric MG’s pathogenesis by reducing SCFAs. The microbial markers might serve as novel diagnostic methods for pediatric MG.

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Title: Metagenome-wide association study of gut microbiome revealed potential microbial marker set for diagnosis of pediatric myasthenia gravis
Authors: Peng Liu
Yiqi Jiang
Shanshan Gu
Yinping Xue
Hongxia Yang
Yongzhao Li
Yaxuan Wang
Congya Yan
Pei Jia
Xiaoting Lin
Guoyan Qi
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Myasthenia Gravis
Adenovirus
Published in: BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-021-02034-0

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Metagenome-wide association study of gut microbiome revealed potential microbial marker set for diagnosis of pediatric myasthenia gravis

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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