Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundIn recent years, observational studies have provided evidence supporting a potential association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gut microbiota. However, the causal effect of gut microbiota on ASD remains unknown.MethodsWe identified the summary statistics of 206 gut microbiota...

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Main Authors: Zhi Li, Shuai Liu, Fang Liu, Nannan Dai, Rujia Liang, Shaoguang Lv, Lisha Bao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1267721/full
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author Zhi Li
Zhi Li
Shuai Liu
Fang Liu
Fang Liu
Nannan Dai
Rujia Liang
Shaoguang Lv
Lisha Bao
author_facet Zhi Li
Zhi Li
Shuai Liu
Fang Liu
Fang Liu
Nannan Dai
Rujia Liang
Shaoguang Lv
Lisha Bao
author_sort Zhi Li
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundIn recent years, observational studies have provided evidence supporting a potential association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gut microbiota. However, the causal effect of gut microbiota on ASD remains unknown.MethodsWe identified the summary statistics of 206 gut microbiota from the MiBioGen study, and ASD data were obtained from the latest Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). We then performed Mendelian randomization (MR) to determine a causal relationship between the gut microbiota and ASD using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, simple mode, MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted model. Furthermore, we used Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), and leave-one-out analysis to identify heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Moreover, the Benjamin-Hochberg approach (FDR) was employed to assess the strength of the connection between exposure and outcome. We performed reverse MR analysis on the gut microbiota that were found to be causally associated with ASD in the forward MR analysis to examine the causal relationships. The enrichment analyses were used to analyze the biological function at last.ResultsBased on the results of IVW results, genetically predicted family Prevotellaceae and genus Turicibacter had a possible positive association with ASD (IVW OR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.00-1.29, P=3.7×10−2), four gut microbiota with a potential protective effect on ASD: genus Dorea (OR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.69-0.96, P=1.4×10−2), genus Ruminiclostridium5 (OR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.69-0.96, P=1.5×10−2), genus Ruminococcus1 (OR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.70-0.98, P=2.8×10−2), and genus Sutterella (OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.68-0.99, P=3.6×10−2). After FDR multiple-testing correction we further observed that there were two gut microbiota still have significant relationship with ASD: family Prevotellaceae (IVW OR=1.24; 95% CI: 1.09-1.40, P=9.2×10-4) was strongly positively correlated with ASD and genus RuminococcaceaeUCG005 (IVW OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.67-0.89, P=6.9×10−4) was strongly negatively correlated with ASD. The sensitivity analysis excluded the influence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy.ConclusionOur findings reveal a causal association between several gut microbiomes and ASD. These results deepen our comprehension of the role of gut microbiota in ASD’s pathology, providing the foothold for novel ideas and theoretical frameworks to prevent and treat this patient population in the future.
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spelling doaj.art-8657ab02b36a41d99dde79e262da5b622023-12-14T17:12:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882023-12-011310.3389/fcimb.2023.12677211267721Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization studyZhi Li0Zhi Li1Shuai Liu2Fang Liu3Fang Liu4Nannan Dai5Rujia Liang6Shaoguang Lv7Lisha Bao8Department of Pediatrics, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaDepartment of Pediatrics, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaDepartment of Cancer Epidemiology Division, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaDepartment of Pediatrics, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, The ECO-City Hospital of Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, ChinaDepartment of Pediatrics, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaDepartment of Pediatrics, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaDepartment of Pediatrics, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaBackgroundIn recent years, observational studies have provided evidence supporting a potential association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gut microbiota. However, the causal effect of gut microbiota on ASD remains unknown.MethodsWe identified the summary statistics of 206 gut microbiota from the MiBioGen study, and ASD data were obtained from the latest Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). We then performed Mendelian randomization (MR) to determine a causal relationship between the gut microbiota and ASD using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, simple mode, MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted model. Furthermore, we used Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), and leave-one-out analysis to identify heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Moreover, the Benjamin-Hochberg approach (FDR) was employed to assess the strength of the connection between exposure and outcome. We performed reverse MR analysis on the gut microbiota that were found to be causally associated with ASD in the forward MR analysis to examine the causal relationships. The enrichment analyses were used to analyze the biological function at last.ResultsBased on the results of IVW results, genetically predicted family Prevotellaceae and genus Turicibacter had a possible positive association with ASD (IVW OR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.00-1.29, P=3.7×10−2), four gut microbiota with a potential protective effect on ASD: genus Dorea (OR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.69-0.96, P=1.4×10−2), genus Ruminiclostridium5 (OR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.69-0.96, P=1.5×10−2), genus Ruminococcus1 (OR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.70-0.98, P=2.8×10−2), and genus Sutterella (OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.68-0.99, P=3.6×10−2). After FDR multiple-testing correction we further observed that there were two gut microbiota still have significant relationship with ASD: family Prevotellaceae (IVW OR=1.24; 95% CI: 1.09-1.40, P=9.2×10-4) was strongly positively correlated with ASD and genus RuminococcaceaeUCG005 (IVW OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.67-0.89, P=6.9×10−4) was strongly negatively correlated with ASD. The sensitivity analysis excluded the influence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy.ConclusionOur findings reveal a causal association between several gut microbiomes and ASD. These results deepen our comprehension of the role of gut microbiota in ASD’s pathology, providing the foothold for novel ideas and theoretical frameworks to prevent and treat this patient population in the future.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1267721/fullgut microbiotaautism spectrum disordersmendelian randomizationcausal rolesingle nucleotide polymorphism
spellingShingle Zhi Li
Zhi Li
Shuai Liu
Fang Liu
Fang Liu
Nannan Dai
Rujia Liang
Shaoguang Lv
Lisha Bao
Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
gut microbiota
autism spectrum disorders
mendelian randomization
causal role
single nucleotide polymorphism
title Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_full Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_fullStr Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_full_unstemmed Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_short Gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_sort gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorders a bidirectional mendelian randomization study
topic gut microbiota
autism spectrum disorders
mendelian randomization
causal role
single nucleotide polymorphism
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1267721/full
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