AUTHOR=Zeng Wenxing , Wu Yuheng , Liang Xiaoye , Cun Dejun , Ma Luyao , Zhang Jingtao , Huang Feng , Jiang Ziwei 

TITLE=Causal associations between human gut microbiota and osteomyelitis: a Mendelian randomization study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1338989

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2024.1338989

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Recent studies have emphasized the role of gut microbiota in the onset and progression of osteomyelitis. However, the exact types of gut microbiota and their mechanisms of action remain unclear. Additionally, there is a lack of theoretical support for treatments that improve osteomyelitis by altering the gut microbiota.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>In our study, we utilized the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis to date from the MiBioGen consortium, involving 13,400 participants. The GWAS data for osteomyelitis were sourced from the UK Biobank, which included 4,836 osteomyelitis cases and 486,484 controls. We employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization framework for a detailed investigation into the causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteomyelitis. Our methods included inverse variance weighting, MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode approaches. Additionally, we applied Cochran’s Q statistic to assess the heterogeneity of the instrumental variable.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>At the class level, Bacilli and Bacteroidia were positively correlated with the risk of osteomyelitis. At the order level, only <italic>Bacteroidales</italic> showed a positive association with osteomyelitis. At the genus level, an increased abundance of <italic>Butyricimonas</italic>, <italic>Coprococcus3</italic>, and <italic>Tyzzerella3</italic> was positively associated with the risk of osteomyelitis, whereas <italic>Lachnospira</italic> was negatively associated. Sensitivity analyses showed no evidence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>This study reveals that classes Bacilli and Bacteroidia, order Bacteroidales, and genera <italic>Butyricimonas</italic>, <italic>Coprococcus3</italic>, and <italic>Tyzzerella3</italic> are implicated in increasing the risk of osteomyelitis, while the genus <italic>Lachnospira</italic> is associated with a reduced risk. Future investigations are warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms through which these specific bacterial groups influence the pathophysiology of osteomyelitis</p></sec>