Exploring the Relationship Between Tuberculosis and Gut Microbiota: A Multi-Omics Approach

Abstract Background: A number of unanswered questions remain regarding the relationship between tuberculosis (TB) and our gut microbiota, which consists of microbial life within our bodies. Multi-omics is an effective strategy to reveal the mechanism of disease, including tuberculosis, but there are few reports on TB by using multi-omics. Methods: In this study, we integrated omics analysis to investigate the altered gut microbiota and fecal metabolomic profiles in TB patients using 16S rDNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). A total of 29 untreated TB patients and 29 health controls (HCs) were recruited in this study. we sequenced the 16S rDNA V3-V4 variable regions to obtain the intestinal microbiota and evaluated the diagnostic ability for TB of the differential intestinal microbiota. Then the fecal metabolic profiles were investigated by LC-MS. Results: the intestinal microbiota in TB patients was significantly changed compared with that in HCs. Nine differential intestinal microbiota (genus)，including Akkermansia, Erysipelotrichaceae, Clostridium_innocuum_group, Eubacterium_hallii_group, Eubacterium_ventriosum_group, Lachnospira, Ruminococcus_2, Roseburia and Blautia, can distinct TB patients from HCs with high accuracy (sensitivity 79.3%, specificity 89.7%). A total of 33 significantly differential-metabolites in TB patients were identified by the metabolomics analysis, and the indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) enriched in TB patients showed the strongest correlation with intestinal microbiota. Conclusions: The gut microbiota composition and metabolic profiles significant changed in TB patients in TB patients, which can be used as potential preventive and therapeutic targets for TB, and IPA enriched in TB patients may play an important role in the pathogenesis of TB.