Age-stratification reveals age-specific intestinal microbiota signatures in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Abstract

Abstract Objective Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) comprises diverse chronic inflammatory conditions driven by malfunction of the immune system. The intestinal microbiota is considered a crucial environmental factor correlating with chronic inflammatory diseases, and for JIA certain alterations in the microbiota have already been described. Methods Here, we have characterized intestinal microbiota samples from 54 JIA patients and 38 pediatric healthy controls by conventional 16S rRNA sequencing and by single-cell analysis for phenotypic features by multi-parameter microbiota flow cytometry (mMFC), which complements the population-based taxonomic profiling with the characterization of individual bacterial cells. Results We found age to be a crucial confounder in microbiota analyses of JIA patients. Age stratification revealed specific microbiota alterations neglected by the general comparison of JIA patients and pediatric controls. Conclusion Age groups presented distinct taxonomic profiles and microbiota phenotypic signatures which transitioned with age, highlighting changes in the microbiota-immune system interaction with age.

Keywords

• JIA
• Microbiome
• Microbiota phenotyping
• Flow cytometry
• 16S rRNA sequencing
• Age