Gut Microbiome of Children and Adolescents With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis in Association With Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Few studies reported the relation of intestinal microbiome composition and diversity in pediatric patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and ulcerative colitis (UC). In this cross-sectional study, we selected patients younger than 19 years old from the pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital to describe the intestinal microbiome of pediatric patients with PSC associated or not to UC. Patients were divided in PSC, PSC+UC, and UC diagnosis. A stool sample was collected from each patient (n=30) and from a healthy relative/neighbor (n=23). The microbiome composition was assessed using MiSeq (Illumina) platform. Differences in microbial composition were found between PSC and PSC+UC groups. The relative abundance of Veillonella and Megasphaera genera were increased depending on patients' age at diagnosis. Veillonella was also increased in patients who were in an active status of the disease. Both genera were positively correlated to total bilirubin and gamma-glutamyl transferase. As a conclusion, the disease, the age and the disease activity status seem to influence the intestinal microbiome, highlighting the difference of intestinal microbiome profile for patients depending on age at diagnosis. We also showed an increase of Veillonella in patients with PSC and PSC+UC, and a positive correlation of dysbiosis and higher gamma-glutamyl transferase and total bilirubin in PSC+UC patients. Our findings are promising in the diagnosis, prognosis, and future therapeutic perspectives for PSC patients.

Keywords: 16S rRNA; dysbiosis; gut microbiome; primary sclerosing cholangitis; ulcerative colitis.