Analysis of intestinal and oral bacterial flora in patients with ulcerative colitis aimed for optimization of treatment

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K08381
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Kansai Medical University (2020-2021); Keio University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: NAGANUMA Makoto 関西医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (00265810)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 腸内細菌叢 / 疾患活動性 / カルプロテクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It has been reported that intestinal dysbiosis is partially involved in the etiology and pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis (UC), which is a refractory inflammatory disease. There are few studies to evaluate whether intestinal dysbiosis is associated with the long-term prognosis of UC. In this study, we performed a bacterial flora analysis by the 16S rRNA-sequencing method on the relationship between activity, refractory, clinical relapse and intestinal flora disturbance and bacterial species differences. A decrease in the genus Bifidobacterium was confirmed in patients with both clinically severe UC and high fecal calprotectin levels. In the refractory cases, the Shannon index was lower than in the non-refractory cases, but no significantly difference could be confirmed in the bacterial species between refractory and no-refractory group. Significant differences in the two bacterial flora contributing to clinical relapse were also confirmed in this study.

Free Research Field

消化器内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

潰瘍性大腸炎（Ulcerative colitis；UC）の病態に腸内細菌叢の構成異常（dysbiosis）が指摘されているが，腸内細菌叢の構成と寛解期UC患者の予後の関連についての検討は少ない。本研究において寛解期UCの再燃予測における腸内細菌叢解析の有用性が確認された。UCに対するプロバイオティクスの有用性はcontroversialであるが、UC患者の便中菌叢解析により、有効例の絞り込みをおこなえる可能性が示唆された。