Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Increased NLRP3 Levels in Patients with Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension

Abstract

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is one of the most common diseases, causing high maternal morbidity and mortality. However, the correlation of gut microbiota in PIH has not been reported. Our aim was to characterize the intestinal microbiota of patients with PIH compared with healthy people. We analyzed and compared the gut microbiota communities in the feces of 28 PIH patients with pregnancy(not pre-pregnancy) body mass index (including height and weight)-matched healthy controls using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and then investigate the relationships among gut microbiota, cytokines, and PIH. Compared with the healthy group, microbial α diversity was lower in the PIH group, but not statistically significant different. At the phylum level, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria exhibited obvious differences between the PIH and control groups. LEfSe analysis found 33 differentially abundant taxa between the two groups. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in PIH serum or placenta tissues was higher than that of the control group. In addition to alterations in gut microbiota composition, we also found that the Bac_Prevotellaceae, Pre_Prevotella bacteria were positively correlated with NLRP3 level, but negatively correlated with Bac_Bacteroidaceae, Bac_Bacteroides. PIH patients had gut microbiota dysbiosis and increased NLRP3 levels, which will lead to a better understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiota and PIH.

Research Note: The effect of photoperiod on the NLRP3 inflammasome and gut microbiota in broiler chickens

“…In this study, we analyzed the correlation between the gut microbiota and NLRP3 inflammasome related genes under 2 photoperiods, and found that the interaction between 2 genera ( Bacteroides and Ruminococcus_torques_group ) and NLRP3 inflammasome may be involved in extended photoperiod induced intestinal injury. In the gut microbiota between patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension and health people, the relative abundance of Bacteroides had a negative correlation with the expression of NLRP3 ( Wu et al, 2023 ). In the study of mice with intracerebral hemorrhage, the inhibition of NLRP3 increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides ( Xiao et al, 2022 ).…”