Alteration in gut microbiota is associated with dysregulation of cytokines and glucocorticoid therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

A growing corpus of evidence implicates the involvement of the commensal microbiota and immune cytokines in the initiation and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Glucocorticoids have been widely used in the treatment of SLE patients, however, glucocorticoid treatment carries a higher risk of other diseases. Using the 16S rRNA technique, we investigated the differences between the gut microbiota associated with the immune cytokines of SLE and relevant glucocorticoid treatment in a female cohort of 20 healthy control subjects (HC), 17 subjects with SLE (SLE-G), and 20 SLE patients having undergone glucocorticoid treatment (SLE+G). We observed that the diversity and structure of the microbial community in SLE+G patients were significantly changed compared to that of SLE-G patients, whereas the gut microbial community of the SLE+G group showed a similarity with the HC group, which implicate that the shift in the gut microbiome could represent a return to homeostasis. Furthermore, the up-regulations of immune cytokines in SLE-G were identified as closely related to gut dysbiosis, which indicates that the overrepresented genera in SLE patients may play roles in regulating expression level of these immune cytokines. This associated analysis of gut microbiota, glucocorticoid therapy, and immune factors might provide novel and insightful clues revealing the pathogenesis of SLE patients.

Potential Roles of Oral Microbiota in the Pathogenesis of Immunoglobin A Nephropathy

“…atypical antipsychotics, and traditional Chinese medicine, will also affect the composition and the function of our hostmicrobiome (Forslund et al, 2015;Imhann et al, 2016;Rogers and Aronoff, 2016;Suez et al, 2018;Guo et al, 2020). To avoid host variables confounders and medication impacts, a largerscale study with IgAN patients and matched healthy controls will be required to clarify the comprehensive microbiome analysis in IgAN.…”

Can Gut Microbiota Affect Dry Eye Syndrome?

“…Whereas, in SLE, the abundance of Ruminococcus gnavus paralleled with disease activity, presumably because R. gnavus shares protein epitopes with the Ro60 autoantigen [ 41 , 42 ]. Additionally, Bacteroides , Succinivibrio , Bilophila , and Parabateroides showed a positive correlation with IL-17 and IFN-γ [ 43 ]. Conversely, Dialister and Gemmiger were negatively associated with cytokines, such as IL-17 [ 43 ].…”

“…Additionally, Bacteroides , Succinivibrio , Bilophila , and Parabateroides showed a positive correlation with IL-17 and IFN-γ [ 43 ]. Conversely, Dialister and Gemmiger were negatively associated with cytokines, such as IL-17 [ 43 ]. pSS and SLE subjects shared a low Firmicutes / Bacteroidetes ratio and relatively higher abundance of Bacteroides species compared to healthy individuals [ 36 ].…”

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Role in Co-Ordinating SARS-CoV-2 Entry and Symptomatology: Linking Cytotoxicity Changes in COVID-19 and Cancers; Modulation by Racial Discrimination Stress

“…This is of some importance as melatonin acts to dampen the immune system at night, mediated by its optimization of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) [ 19 , 20 ]. Increased gut permeability leads to the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the circulation, which acts to dysregulate the immune response, as well as contributing to gut dysbiosis and therefore decreasing the epigenetic regulation of the immune system by the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, as evidenced across a host of diverse medical conditions [ 21 ]. The third ‘cytokine storm’ consequence is the induction of the IDO-kynurenine-AhR pathway, which, as noted, modulates both SARS-CoV-2 entry and pathophysiology.…”