Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (Jan 2023)

Impact of Visceral Obesity on Structural and Functional Alterations of Gut Microbiota in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A Pilot Study Using Metagenomic Analysis

  • Bai X,
  • Ma J,
  • Wu X,
  • Qiu L,
  • Huang R,
  • Zhang H,
  • Huang H,
  • Chen X

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Xuefeng Bai,1,* Jiangxin Ma,1,* Xiaohong Wu,1 Lingling Qiu,2 Rongfu Huang,3 Haibin Zhang,1 Huibin Huang,1 Xiaoyu Chen1 1Department of Endocrinology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Reproductive Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Huibin Huang; Xiaoyu Chen, Department of Endocrinology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No. 950 Donghai Street, Fengze District, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, 362000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13313872001 ; +86-13600739755, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: We aimed to identify structural and functional alterations of gut microbiota associated with visceral obesity in adult women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Methods: Twenty-seven adults with PCOS underwent stool and fasting blood collection, oral glucose tolerance testing, and visceral fat area (VFA) measurement via dual-bioimpedance technique. Metagenomic analysis was used to analyze gut microbiota.Results: PCOS patients were divided into three groups: visceral obesity group (PCOS-VO, n=9, age 28.33± 5.68 years, BMI 37.06± 4.27 kg/m2, VFA 128.67± 22.45 cm2), non-visceral obesity group (PCOS-NVO, n=10, age 25.40± 4.53, BMI 30.74± 3.95, VFA 52.00± 24.04), normal BMI group (PCOS-NB, n=8, age 27.88± 2.53, BMI 21.56± 2.20, VFA 27.00± 21.18), with no statistical difference in age (P> 0.05) and significantly statistical differences in BMI and VFA (P< 0.05). The groups showed a significant difference in microbial β-diversity between PCOS-VO and PCOS-NVO (P=0.002) and no difference between PCOS-NVO and PCOS-NB (P=0.177). Bacteroidetes was the phylum with the highest relative abundance among all patients, followed by Firmicutes. Those with visceral obesity had a higher abundance of Prevotella, Megamonas, and Dialister genera, positively correlated with metabolic markers (r> 0.4, P< 0.05), and lower abundance of Phascolarctobacterium and Neisseria genera, negatively correlated with metabolic markers (r<-0.4, P< 0.05). Functional annotation analysis showed significant differences in relative abundance of ribosome pathway, fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, and sphingolipid signaling pathway between groups, affecting lipid homeostasis and visceral fat accumulation.Conclusion: Alteration in β-diversity of gut microbiota exists in PCOS with visceral obesity versus those without visceral obesity and relates to functional differences in ribosomes, fatty acid biosynthesis, and sphingolipid signaling pathways.Keywords: polycystic ovary syndrome, visceral obesity, gut microbiota, visceral fat area, metagenomic analysis

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