Abstract
Objective
The purpose of this study is to use two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal relationship between skin microbiota, especially Propionibacterium acnes, and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), low back pain (LBP) and sciatica.
Methods
We conducted a two-sample MR using the aggregated data from the whole genome-wide association studies (GWAS). 150 skin microbiota were derived from the GWAS catalog and IVDD, LBP and sciatica were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS project. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) was the primary research method, with MR-Egger and Weighted median as supplementary methods. Perform sensitivity analysis and reverse MR analysis on all MR results.
Results
MR revealed three skin microbiota associated with IVDD, five associated with LBP, and five with sciatica. Specifically, there was no significant causal relationship between skin-derived P.acnes and IVDD, LBP and sciatica; IVDD was found to increase the abundance of P.acnes. Furthermore, ASV010 [Staphylococcus (unc.)] from dry skin was a risk factor for LBP and sciatica; unclassified Acinetobacter and Acinetobacter johnsonii from dry skin environments exhibit potential protective effects against LBP and sciatica; ASV065 [Finegoldia (unc.)] from dry skin was a protective factor for IVDD and LBP.
Conclusions
This study identified a potential causal relationship between skin microbiota and IVDD, LBP, and sciatica. No evidence suggests skin-derived P.acnes is a risk factor for IVDD, LBP, and sciatica. At the same time, IVDD can potentially cause an increase in P.acnes abundance, which supports the contamination theory.