The causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatoses: a Mendelian randomization study

Rui Mao; Qinyang Yu; Ji Li

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1231848

The causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatoses: a Mendelian randomization study

Front Immunol. 2023 Sep 27:14:1231848. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1231848. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Rui Mao^{1

2

3}, Qinyang Yu^{1

2

3}, Ji Li^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
² Hunan Key Laboratory of Aging Biology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
³ National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

Abstract

Background: Observational studies have shown that gut microbiota is closely associated with inflammatory dermatoses such as psoriasis, rosacea, and atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatosis remains unclear.

Methods: Based on Maximum Likelihood (ML), MR-Egger regression, Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW), MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), Weighted Mode, and Weighted Median Estimator (WME) methods, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammatory dermatosis. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of gut microbiota came from the MiBioGen consortium, while the GWAS summary data of inflammatory dermatosis (including psoriasis, AD, rosacea, vitiligo, acne, and eczema) came from the FinnGen consortium and IEU Open GWAS project. Cochran's IVW Q test tested the heterogeneity among instrumental variables (IVs). The horizontal pleiotropy was tested by MR-Egger regression intercept analysis and MR-PRESSO analysis.

Results: Eventually, the results indicated that 5, 16, 17, 11, 15, and 12 gut microbiota had significant causal effects on psoriasis, rosacea, AD, vitiligo, acne, and eczema, respectively, including 42 protective and 34 risk causal relationships. Especially, Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria at the Family and Genus Level, as common probiotics, were identified as protective factors for the corresponding inflammatory dermatoses. The results of reverse MR analysis suggested a bidirectional causal effect between AD and genus Eubacterium brachy group, vitiligo and genus Ruminococcaceae UCG004. The causal relationship between gut microbiota and psoriasis, rosacea, acne, and eczema is unidirectional. There was no significant heterogeneity among these IVs. In conclusion, this bidirectional two-sample MR study identified 76 causal relationships between the gut microbiome and six inflammatory dermatoses, which may be helpful for the clinical prevention and treatment of inflammatory dermatoses.

Keywords: acne; atopic dermatitis; eczema; gut microbiota; psoriasis; rosacea; two-sample mendelian randomization; vitiligo.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acne Vulgaris*
Dermatitis, Atopic* / genetics
Eczema*
Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
Genome-Wide Association Study
Humans
Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Psoriasis* / genetics
Rosacea* / genetics
Vitiligo*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2021YFF1201200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82273557, 82221002, 82173448, and 81874251), the National Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholars (82225039).