Gut Microbiota Composition Changes in Constipated Women of Reproductive Age

Abstract

BackgroundChronic constipation is one of the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorders, yet its etiology is multifactorial, and the pathophysiological mechanism is still unclear. Previous studies have shown that the gut microbiota of constipated patients differs from healthy controls; however, many discrepancies exist in the findings, and no clear link has been confirmed between chronic constipation and changes in the gut microbiota. Growing evidence indicates that age, gender, and hormone levels can affect the composition of gut microbiota. The aim of this study is to examine the overall changes in gut microbiota within a specific sub-population of patients, namely, constipated women of reproductive age.MethodsWe carried out a cross-sectional study comparing the fecal microbial composition of 30 healthy women and 29 constipated women using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Only women of reproductive age were recruited to reduce the effects of age, gender, and hormone levels on the microbiome, and to prevent conflating the impact of these factors with the effects of constipation.ResultsThere were obvious differences in the gut microbiota in constipated women of reproductive age compared with the healthy controls, manifesting mainly as a significant increase in the abundance of Bacteroides (p < 0.05) and a significant decrease in the abundance of Proteobacteria (p < 0.01). The overall composition of the gut microbiota in each group was different, which was reflected in the ratios of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B), which was 1.52 in the constipated group vs. 2.21 in the healthy group. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in butyrate-producing bacteria, like Roseburia and Fusicatenibacter (p < 0.01).ConclusionThe overall composition of the gut microbiota changed in constipated women of reproductive age, characterized by a loss in Proteobacteria and an increase in Bacteroidetes. Furthermore, the abundance of some butyrate-producing bacteria also reduced. These changes may reflect the unique interactions between host and some bacteria, or some bacterial metabolic products, which may be important targets for future studies to explore the pathogenesis of constipation.

Effect of fecal microbiota transplantation in patients with slow transit constipation and the relative mechanisms based on the protein digestion and absorption pathway

“…Together, these results showed that positive alterations of microbial community richness and diversity were exerted by FMT, suggesting that this might be a potential therapeutic mechanism [25]. The gut microbiota in patients with constipation are different from the healthy controls, manifesting as the increasing abundance of Bacteroides and the decreasing abundance of Proteobacteria [26]. Khalif et al found that Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus significantly decreased in the 57 Fig.…”

Editorial: The Microbiome in Hepatobiliary and Intestinal Disease

“…Acute appendicitis is characterized by elevated levels of Fusobacterium ( Swidsinski et al, 2011 ; Guinane et al, 2013 ; Jackson et al, 2014 ; Zhong et al, 2014 ; Rogers et al, 2016 ), Parvimonas ( Guinane et al, 2013 ; Jackson et al, 2014 ; Zhong et al, 2014 ; Rogers et al, 2016 ), Campylobacter jejuni ( Campbell et al, 2006 ; Oh et al, 2020b ), and Gemella ( Guinane et al, 2013 ; Zhong et al, 2014 ), and reduced levels of Bacteroides ( Swidsinski et al, 2011 ; Samuelsson et al, 2013 ; Zhong et al, 2014 ; Rogers et al, 2016 ), Ruminococcus ( Samuelsson et al, 2013 ; Munakata et al, 2021 ), and Faecalibacterium ( prausnitzii ) ( Swidsinski et al, 2011 ; Samuelsson et al, 2013 ). The gut microbiome signature of chronic constipation consists of large proportions of Clostridium ( Zoppi et al, 1998 ; Zhu et al, 2014 ) and Parabacteroides ( de Meij et al, 2016 ; Li et al, 2020b ), and depressed amounts of Lactobacillus ( Khalif et al, 2005 ; Moraes et al, 2016 ; Jomehzadeh et al, 2020 ) and Roseburia ( Mancabelli et al, 2017 ; Li et al, 2020b ). Stool analysis of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently demonstrates overrepresentation of Veillonella ( Gevers et al, 2014 ; Mottawea et al, 2016 ; Santoru et al, 2017 ; Schirmer et al, 2018 ) and Escherichia coli ( Schwiertz et al, 2010 ; Sha et al, 2013 ; Gevers et al, 2014 ; Santoru et al, 2017 ), and underrepresentation of Faecalibacterium ( prausnitzii ) ( Schwiertz et al, 2010 ; Joossens et al, 2011 ; Morgan et al, 2012 ; Kumari et al, 2013 ; Gevers et al, 2014 ; Machiels et al, 2014 ; Schirmer et al, 2018 ), and Roseburia ( Morgan et al, 2012 ...…”

A Pilot Study Exploring the Association of Entacapone, Gut Microbiota, and the Subsequent Side Effects in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease

“…Recent studies using 16S rRNA-based microbiota profiling have demonstrated dysbiosis of gut microbiota in constipation ( Ohkusa et al., 2019 ). Although the findings are inconsistent and currently no consensus exists, studies in constipation have found significant inter-individual differences between healthy individual and patients ( Zhu et al., 2014 ; Mancabelli et al., 2017 ; Li et al., 2020 ). Interestingly, results of alpha-diversity analysis from these studies suggested similar community richness and diversity between the two groups ( Li et al., 2020 ), which were consistent with our findings.…”

“…Although the findings are inconsistent and currently no consensus exists, studies in constipation have found significant inter-individual differences between healthy individual and patients ( Zhu et al., 2014 ; Mancabelli et al., 2017 ; Li et al., 2020 ). Interestingly, results of alpha-diversity analysis from these studies suggested similar community richness and diversity between the two groups ( Li et al., 2020 ), which were consistent with our findings. Evidence from a mouse study showed the causal relationship between dysbiosis and chronic constipation.…”