Age-stratified comparative analysis of the differences of gut microbiota associated with blood glucose level.

BACKGROUND: Gut bacteria are an important component of the microbiota ecosystem in humans and other animals, and they play important roles in human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and multiple demographical-, behavioral-, or biochemical-related factors in subjects with chronic disease. Subjects with a very wide age range who participated in community-based chronic disease prevention and screening programs in China were enrolled. We analyzed the intestinal microbiota composition using 16S rRNA-based high-throughput sequencing of fecal samples, analyzed the association between gut microbiota structure and multiple demographical, behavioral, and biochemical factors, and compared the differences in microbiota composition in age-stratified groups with different blood glucose levels. RESULTS: Our results showed that both age and blood glucose levels had a significant impact on the gut microbiota structure. We also identified several taxa showed distinct abundance in groups with different glucose levels. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium at genus level and their related taxa were more abundant in the GLU high group comparing with GLU normal group and in NGR group comparing with DM group. Further analysis using the age-stratified data showed that blood glucose levels had a more significant impact on the gut microbiota in the ≥76 y age group than in the ≤75 y age group, which indicated that it is necessary to take age into account when conducting such studies. Moreover, we identified several taxa that were highly associated with blood glucose levels in the ≥76 y age group but not in the ≤75 y age group. Within the ≥76 y age group, Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis and Bacteroides were more abundant in the GLU normal group, whereas Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium at genus level were more abundant in the GLU high group. CONCLUSIONS: This result suggested that taxa that are capable of differentiating blood glucose levels might differ significantly in different age groups.

Evaluation of the Associations Between Cervical Microbiota and HPV Infection, Clearance, and Persistence in Cytologically Normal Women.

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between cervical microbiota and different human papillomavirus (HPV) infection statuses in cytologically normal women. The cervical microbiota of HPV-positive or -negative women with a normal cytologic diagnosis was characterized and compared using 16S rDNA-based high-throughput sequencing, and the differences in cervical microbiota associated with new acquisition, persistence, and clearances of HPV genotypes were analyzed via one-year follow-up. The results showed that the cervical microbial richness of HPV-positive women was lower than for HPV-negative women, and the difference was more significant in the postmenopausal group relative to the premenopausal group. Ureaplasma parvum and related taxa were associated with baseline HPV positivity, while Brochothrix, Diplorickettsia, Ezakiella, Faecalibacterium, and Fusobacterium genera and their related taxa and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were associated with baseline HPV negativity. For HPV-positive women, the baseline abundance of Actinomyces was negatively associated with new HPV infection, Alloprevotella tannerae, Prevotella nigrescens, and Prevotella oulorum; and Dialister invisus were positively associated with new HPV-type infection within the year of follow-up. Lactobacillus delbrueckii was found to be negatively associated with persistent HPV infection and 9 taxa belonging to Prevotella, Dialister, and Lachnospiraceae were found to be positively associated with persistence, and/or negatively associated with clearance of HPV types. We also observed 10 novel taxa associated with the clearance/persistence of HPV that had not been reported elsewhere. Those taxa associated with different infection statuses of HPV could be used as a biomarker to help predict the risk of developing persistent HPV infection.