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. 2021 Jul;22(1):676.
doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10108. Epub 2021 Apr 24.

Characteristics of the intestinal microbiome in ankylosing spondylitis

Anca Cardoneanu  1 , Sebastian Cozma  2 , Ciprian Rezus  3 , Florin Petrariu  4 , Alexandra Maria Burlui  1 , Elena Rezus  1
Affiliations

Characteristics of the intestinal microbiome in ankylosing spondylitis

Anca Cardoneanu et al. Exp Ther Med. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

The importance of intestinal microbiota in the development of various systemic diseases has been highlighted over time. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic disease with a complex pathogenesis involving a particular genetic marker and distinctive environmental triggers such as a specific gut dysbiosis. We conducted a prospective case-control study which included 60 subjects from Iasi Rehabilitation Hospital: 28 AS cases and 32 healthy controls. Intestinal microbiota analysis was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in stool samples. We performed the quantitative analysis of gut microbiome, focusing both on anti-inflammatory (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii) and pro-inflammatory (Bacteroides, Escherichia coli) species. Overall, intestinal bacterial diversity in the AS group was decreased compared to that noted in the control. A significantly decreased level of Clostridium leptum was observed, associated with an increased level of Escherichia coli. We showed correlations between laboratory tests (liver and kidney functional tests, inflammatory syndrome), the presence of HLA-B27, smoker status, the forms of AS with peripheral arthritis vs. pure axial forms and bacterial structures. No significant correlations were shown for disease activity scores, radiological stage of sacroiliitis or for body mass index. Our findings support that the intestinal microbiome in AS patients has a special signature characterized by an inflammatory status. Numerous environmental, genetical, clinical and paraclinical factors can lead to changes in gut bacterial diversity in these cases.

Keywords: ankylosing spondylitis; enteropathy; gut microbiome; intestinal dysbiosis; systemic inflammation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Standard curve of the amplification (triplicates). (B) Dissociation curve. (C) Amplification curve for E. coli. (D) Amplification curve for Bacteroides.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Microbial populations highlighted in the study cases. AS, ankylosing spondylitis.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Quantitative analysis of the microbiome according to the treatment followed by the patients with AS. AS, ankylosing spondylitis; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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