Alterations and clinical relevance of gut microbiota in patients with Peutz–Jeghers syndrome: A prospective study

Abstract

ObjectiveIn this case–control study we aimed to investigate the intestinal microbiota profile of patients with Peutz‐Jeghers syndrome (PJS) and its association with polyp growth.MethodsThirty‐two PJS patients and 35 healthy controls were enrolled. Fecal samples of all participants were collected for gut microbiota analysis via 16S rRNA gene (regions V3–V4) sequencing. SPSS version 22.0 and R software version 3.1.0 were used for the statistical analysis.ResultsThe richness was comparable, while the overall structure of the gut microbiota differed significantly between the PJS and control groups (weighted UniFrac, P = 0.001; unweighted UniFrac, P = 0.008). Significantly different abundances of two phyla, seven families, and 18 genera as well as twenty‐nine differentially enriched functional modules (false discovery rate, P < 0.05) between the two groups were identified. Morganella was positively associated with the median number of polyps (JPN; r = 0.96, P < 0.001) and number of newly discovered polyps in the jejunum between two recent endoscopic resections (JPNG; r = 0.78, P = 0.04). Desulfovibrio was positively associated with JPNG (r = 0.87, P = 0.01). Blautia was negatively associated with the median maximum size of polyps in the jejunum (JPS). Anaerostipes was negatively associated with JPN, JPNG and JPS. Clostridium XVIII and Fusicatenibacter were negatively associated with JPN and JPS, respectively.ConclusionsWe found remarkably different gut microbiota of patients with PJS compared to healthy individuals and associations between specific fecal bacteria and clinical features of PJS. These findings may provide a new perspective for the management of PJS in clinical practice.