Purpose
To identify compositional differences in the gut microbiome of nonmyopes (NM) and myopes using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and to investigate whether the microbiome may contribute to the onset or progression of the condition.
Methods
Faecal samples were collected from 52 adult participants, of whom 23 were NM, 8 were progressive myopes (PM), and 21 were stable myopes (SM). The composition of the gut microbiota in each group was analysed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing.
Results
There were no significant differences in alpha and beta diversity between the three groups (NM, PM, and SM). However, the distributions of
Bifidobacterium
,
Bacteroides
,
Megamonas
,
Faecalibacterium
,
Coprococcus
,
Dorea
,
Roseburia
, and
Blautia
were significantly higher in the myopes (SM and PM combined) when compared with emmetropes. The myopes exhibited significantly greater abundance of bacteria that are linked to the regulation of dopaminergic signalling, such as
Clostridium
,
Ruminococcus
,
Bifidobacterium
, and
Bacteroides
. Individuals with stable myopia were found to have a significantly higher proportion of
Prevotella copri
than those with progressive myopia.
Bifidobacterium adolescentis
, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)–producing bacterium, was significantly higher in all myopes than in NM and, in the comparison between SM and PM, it is significantly higher in SM.
B. uniformis
and
B. fragilis
, both GABA-producing
Bacteroides
, were present in relatively high abundance in all myopes and in SM compared with PM, respectively.
Conclusions
The presence of bacteria related to dopamine effect and GABA-producing bacteria in the gut microbiome of myopes may suggest a role of these microorganisms in the onset and progression of myopia.