Changes in gut microbiome taxonomic composition and their relationship to biosynthetic and metabolic pathways of B vitamins in children with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease characterised by progressive demyelination leading to the death of neurons in the central nervous system. The disease usually manifests in people aged 20–40 years, but in recent years there has been an increase in the number of cases with childhood MS debut. We assume that this may be related to the peculiarities of the taxonomic composition of the intestinal microbiota and its ability to produce B vitamins. Purpose: To identify changes in the composition of the gut microbiome in the debut of multiple sclerosis in children and adults and to assess the potential of the gut microbiome to metabolise and synthesise B vitamins. Fifteen children (9–17 years), 15 adults with MS manifested in childhood and 14 adults over 37 years of age with MS duration less than 1 year participated in the study. The composition of the intestinal microbiome was determined by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene on the Illumina platform with universal primers for the 16S rRNA V3-V4 variable region. The PICRUST algorithm using the KEGG reference genome database was used to predict the presence of B vitamin metabolic pathways in the intestinal microbiome. Children in MS debut were found to have specific microbiome changes different from those in adults. These changes include a decrease in alpha diversity as well as a reduction in dominant phylum and an increase in p_Verrucomicrobiota and p_Mycoplasmatota, which was accompanied by a decrease in the number of bacterial genes involved in the pathways of metabolism and synthesis of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B12. Such changes may be associated with early manifestation of MS symptoms in children. The findings highlight the importance of further study of the influence of the intestinal microbiome and its metabolic potential on the development and progression of MS, especially in childhood, and may contribute to the development of modern more effective methods of treatment and prevention of this demyelinating disease.