Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome (Sep 2022)

Reduced gut microbiota diversity in patients with congenital generalized lipodystrophy

  • Renan Magalhães Montenegro Junior,
  • Clarisse Mourão Melo Ponte,
  • Maria Helane Costa Gurgel Castelo,
  • Alessandro Conrado de Oliveira Silveira,
  • Virgínia Oliveira Fernandes,
  • Catarina Brasil D’Alva,
  • Luiz Felipe Valter Oliveira,
  • Angélica Domingues Hristov,
  • Silviane Praciano Bandeira,
  • Grayce Ellen da Cruz Paiva,
  • José Eduardo Levi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-022-00908-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Background Previous studies suggest intestinal dysbiosis is associated with metabolic diseases. However, the causal relationship between them is not fully elucidated. Gut microbiota evaluation of patients with congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL), a disease characterized by the absence of subcutaneous adipose tissue, insulin resistance, and diabetes since the first years of life, could provide insights into these relationships. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with patients with CGL (n = 17) and healthy individuals (n = 17). The gut microbiome study was performed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene through High-Throughput Sequencing (BiomeHub Biotechnologies, Brazil). Results The median age was 20.0 years old, and 64.7% were female. There was no difference between groups in pubertal stage, BMI, ethnicity, origin (rural or urban), delivery, breastfeeding, caloric intake, macronutrient, or fiber consumption. Lipodystrophic patients presented a lower alpha diversity (Richness index: 54.0 versus 67.5; p = 0.008). No differences were observed in the diversity parameters when analyzing the presence of diabetes, its complications, or the CGL subtype. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrate for the first time a reduced gut microbiota diversity in individuals with CGL. Dysbiosis was present despite dietary treatment and was also observed in young patients. Our findings allow us to speculate that the loss of intestinal microbiota diversity may be due to metabolic abnormalities present since the first years of life in CGL. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings, clarifying the possible causal link between dysbiosis and insulin resistance in humans.

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