Cross‐sectional evaluation of gut microbial–host cometabolites in patients with chronic pancreatitis

• Published in: Journal of digestive diseases Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 51 - 59
• Main Authors: Xu, Jia Jia, Meng, Yu Ting, Zou, Wen Bin, Zhao, Jiu Long, Fang, Xue, Zhang, Yao, Zhou, Wei, Zhang, Ling, Wang, Kai Xuan, Hu, Liang Hao, Liao, Zhuan, Zhou, Chun Hua, Zou, Duo Wu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd 01.01.2023; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Abundance; Bacteria; Bifidobacterium; chronic pancreatitis; Citric acid; Correlation analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Digestive system; Digestive tract; Feces; Feces - microbiology; Gas chromatography; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; gut metabolites; gut microbial–host cometabolites; Humans; Intestinal microflora; Mass spectroscopy; Metabolites; Metabolome; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Pancreatitis; Pancreatitis, Chronic; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Bifidobacterium; chronic pancreatitis; gut microbial-host cometabolites; metabolome; gut metabolites
• ISSN: 1751-2972; 1751-2980
• DOI: 10.1111/1751-2980.13162

Objectives Gut bacteria facilitate nutrient metabolism and generate small molecules that form part of the broader “metabolome”. It is unclear whether these metabolites are disturbed in chronic pancreatitis (CP). This study aimed to evaluate the gut microbial–host cometabolites and their relationship in patients with CP. Methods Fecal samples were collected from 40 patients with CP and 38 healthy family members. Each sample was examined with 16S rRNA gene profiling and gas chromatography time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry to estimate the relative abundances of specific bacterial taxa between the two groups and to profile any changes in the metabolome, respectively. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the differences in metabolites and gut microbiota between the two groups. Results The abundance of Actinobacteria was lower at the phylum level, and that of Bifidobacterium was lower at the genus level in the CP group. Eighteen metabolites had significantly different abundances and the concentrations of 13 metabolites were significantly different between the two groups. Oxoadipic acid and citric acid levels were positively correlated with Bifidobacterium abundance (r = 0.306 and 0.330, respectively, both P < 0.05), while the 3‐methylindole concentration was negatively correlated with Bifidobacterium abundance (r = −0.252, P = 0.026) in CP. Conclusions Gut microbiome and host microbiome metabolic products might be altered in patients with CP. Evaluating gastrointestinal metabolite levels may further enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis and/or progression of CP. Gut microbiota are altered in patients with chronic pancreatitis, which may be associated with changes in metabolites. Evaluating metabolite levels in the gastrointestinal tract may facilitate a better understanding of the disease