CHANGES OF INTESTINAL MICROBIOME IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IMMUNE SHIFT AND PSYCHOEMOTIONAL DISORDERS

Recently, the role of the intestinal microbiota in MS has been actively investigated in connection with its influence the development and activity of immune and nervous systems. It is assumed that immune dysfunction, as well as disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and psycho-emotional functions in patients with MS, may be associated with intestinal microbiocenosis dysbiosis. The aim of the study was to assess changes in the intestinal microbiome in MS patients and to analyze the associations of the bacterial level with various subsets of Th cells in the blood and psycho-emotional disorders. 126 MS patients with disease duration of 12.2 ± 0.9 years and 69 healthy individuals were examined. Intestinal microbiome was determined by the Illumina/Solexa sequencing method. The quantitative content of microbial species was determined by the method of cultivation and real time PCR with specific primers, subsets of Th cells - by flow cytometry. Patients were assessed for anxiety, depression, and asthenia. It was shown that the intestinal microbiome of MS patients was significantly changed compared with healthy individuals: the proportion of Bacteroides, especially of the Prevotellaceae family, was reduced, the proportion of Firmicutes (Bacilli and Clostridia) and Actinobacteria was increased, and the symbiotic species in Enterobacteriaceae family were replaced by opportunistic species. A positive correlation between the level of Bifibobacteria spp. with disease severity and blood levels of DP Th17 CM cells. Enterobacter spp. level correlated with the level of “classical” or Th17/22 CM and DP Th17 EM. Bifidobacteria spp. the level was also associated with the level of depression in patients, the level of Escherichia coli and Prevotella spp. - with anxiety, and the level of atypical E. coli and Sutterella spp. - with asthenia. The data obtained suggest that immune and psycho-emotional disorders in patients with MS can be corrected by normalizing intestinal microbiocenosis.

multiple sclerosis, intestinal microbiome, anxiety, depression, Th17 subtypes