The Composition of the Fecal and Mucosa-adherent Microbiota Varies Based on Age and Disease Activity in Ulcerative Colitis

Mikkel Malham*, Marie V. Vestergaard, Thomas Bataillon, Palle Villesen, Astrid Dempfle, Corinna Bang, Anne Line Engsbro, Christian Jakobsen, Andre Franke, Vibeke Wewer, Louise B. Thingholm, Andreas M. Petersen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaperJournal articleResearchpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Pediatric-onset ulcerative colitis (pUC) represents a more aggressive disease phenotype compared with adult-onset UC. We hypothesized that this difference can, in part, be explained by the composition of the microbiota. Methods: In a prospective, longitudinal study, we included pediatric (N=30) and adult (N=30) patients with newly or previously (>1 year) diagnosed UC. We analyzed the microbiota composition in the mucosa-adherent microbiota at baseline, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the fecal microbiota at baseline and at 3-month intervals, using shotgun metagenomics. Results: For fecal samples, the bacterial composition differed between pUC and aUC in newly diagnosed patients (β-diversity, Bray Curtis: R2=0.08, P=.02). In colon biopsies, microbial diversity was higher in aUC compared with pUC (α-diversity, Shannon: estimated difference 0.54, P=.006). In the mucosa-adherent microbiota, Alistipes finegoldii was negatively associated with disease activity in pUC while being positively associated in aUC (estimate: -0.255 and 0.098, P=.003 and P=.02 in pUC and aUC, respectively). Finally, we showed reduced stability of the fecal microbiota in pediatric patients, evidenced by a different composition of the fecal microbiota in newly and previously diagnosed pUC, a pattern not found in adults. Conclusions: Our results indicate that pediatric UC patients have a more unstable fecal microbiota and a lower α diversity than adult patients and that the microbiota composition differs between aUC and pUC patients. These findings offer some explanation for the observed differences between pUC and aUC and indicate that individualized approaches are needed if microbiota modifications are to be used in the future treatment of UC.

Original languageEnglish
JournalInflammatory Bowel Diseases
Volume31
Issue2
Pages (from-to)501-513
Number of pages13
ISSN1078-0998
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2025

Keywords

  • histology
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • microbiome
  • pediatrics

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