AUTHOR=Liu Xin , Qi Xingsi , Han Rongshuang , Mao Tao , Tian Zibin 

TITLE=Gut microbiota causally affects cholelithiasis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1253447

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1253447

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>The gut microbiota is closely linked to cholesterol metabolism-related diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. However, whether gut microbiota plays a causal role in cholelithiasis remains unclear.</p></sec><sec><title>Aims</title><p>This study explored the causal relationship between gut microbiota and cholelithiasis. We hypothesize that the gut microbiota influences cholelithiasis development.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A two-sample Mendelian randomization method was combined with STRING analysis to test this hypothesis. Summary data on gut microbiota and cholelithiasis were obtained from the MiBioGen (n=13,266) and FinnGen R8 consortia (n=334,367), respectively.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p><italic>Clostridium senegalense</italic>, <italic>Coprococcus3</italic>, and <italic>Lentisphaerae</italic> increased the risk of cholelithiasis and expressed more bile salt hydrolases. In contrast, <italic>Holdemania</italic>, <italic>Lachnospiraceae UCG010</italic>, and <italic>Ruminococcaceae NK4A214</italic> weakly expressed bile salt hydrolases and were implied to have a protective effect against cholelithiasis by Mendelian randomization analysis.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Gut microbiota causally influences cholelithiasis and may be related to bile salt hydrolases. This work improves our understanding of cholelithiasis causality to facilitate the development of treatment strategies.</p></sec>