STUDY OF THE GUT ENTEROTYPES IN SOME EGYPTIAN PATIENTS WITH REMITTING
RELAPSING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Abstract
Background: Gut microbiota cluster into three enterotypes named the
Bacteroides, Prevotella and Ruminococcus. While each person’s microbial
“fingerprint” is unique, there are specific patterns seen in those
that are healthy and those that have specific illnesses. The aim of the
present study is to identify the enterotypes that are likely related to
Multiple Sclerosis Egyptian patients as well as their possible role in
the course of the disease. Subjects & Methods: Thirty patients with
remitting relapsing multiple sclerosis, who presented to the MS Clinic
of Alexandria University Hospital were enrolled in our study. These were
diagnosed according to according to McDonnald 2017 criteria. A cross
matching control group of 20 healthy subjects of similar age and sex
were included. Stool specimens were taken from each. Quantitative SYBR
Green Real-Time PCR was done for the identification and quantitation of
Bacteroides, Prevotella and Ruminococcus which constitute the core of
the three major enterotypes. Results: Enterotype 1 is the most common
enterotype detected in MS and control cases (80% versus 65%). For
Enterotype 3, it was not detected in any of the 20 control cases while
detected in multiple sclerosis case (16.7%). However, by comparing the
multiple sclerosis and control cases Enterotype 2 is significantly less
in multiple sclerosis than control (3.3% versus 35%). Conclusion:
Although Enterotype 2 is significantly less in multiple sclerosis
patients, collapsing the whole microbiome variations into dominant
enterotypes was not appropriate to identify disease association or to be
used as a disease biomarker.