Background: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is characterized by impairment of ovarian function on a continuum before the age of 40 years. POI is affected by multiple factors. Considering new insights from recent gut microbiome studies, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between gut microbial community structure and POI.
Methods: Subjects were recruited at the Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital. Fecal microbial community profiles of healthy women (n = 18), women with POI (n = 35) were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing based on Illumina NovaSeq platform.
Results: Compared to the controls, the serum levels of FSH, LH, T and FSH/LH ratio significantly increased in women with POI, whereas E2 and AMH decreased significantly. Higher weighted UniFrac value was observed in POI women compared with healthy women. Phylum Firmicutes, genera Bulleidia and Faecalibacterium were more abundant in healthy women, while phylum Bacteroidetes, genera Butyricimonas, Dorea, Lachnobacterium and Sutterella enriched significantly in women with POI. Moreover, these alterations of the gut microbiome in women with POI were closely related to FSH, LH, E2, AMH level and FSH/LH ratio.
Conclusions: Women with POI had altered microbial profiles in their gut microbiome, which were associated with serum hormones levels. These results will shed a new light on the pathogenesis and treatment for POI.
Keywords: 16S rRNA sequencing; Gut microbiota; Premature ovarian insufficiency; Sex hormones.