Metagenomic analyses of the gut microbiota associated with colorectal adenoma

PLoS One. 2019 Feb 22;14(2):e0212406. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212406. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Recent studies have suggested an association between certain members of the Fusobacterium genus, especially F. nucleatum, and the progression of advanced colorectal carcinoma (CRC). We assessed such an association of the gut microbiota in Japanese patients with colorectal adenoma (CRA) or intramucosal CRC using colonoscopy aspirates. We analyzed samples from 81 Japanese patients, including 47 CRA and 24 intramucosal CRC patients, and 10 healthy subjects. Metagenomic analysis of the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was performed. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) method was used to examine microbial dysbiosis, revealing significant differences in bacterial abundances between the healthy controls and CRA or intramucosal CRC patients. In particular, F. varium was statistically more abundant in patients with CRA and intramucosal CRC than in healthy subjects. Here, we present the metagenomic profile of CRA and intramucosal CRC and demonstrate that F. varium is at least partially involved in the pathogenesis of CRA and intramucosal CRC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / genetics
  • Adenoma / microbiology*
  • Aged
  • Bacteria / classification*
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / microbiology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metagenomics*
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Grants and funding

Employees of Morinaga Milk Industry Co., LTD., Toshitaka Odamaki, Kumiko Kato, and, Jin-zhong Xiao were received salary from the company. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. Our work was funded by the Smoking Research Foundation (special study, no. 6). The funders did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.