Fructan‐sensitive children with irritable bowel syndrome have distinct gut microbiome signatures. Issue 4 (13th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chumpitazi, Bruno P.; Hoffman, Kristi L.; Smith, Daniel P.; McMeans, Ann R.; Musaad, Salma; Versalovic, James; Petrosino, Joseph F.; Shulman, Robert J.
• Is Part Of: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics. Volume 53:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 499
• Page End: 509
• Publication Date: 2020-12-13
• Subjects: Digestive organs -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Digestive organs -- Effect of drugs on -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Effect of drugs on -- Periodicals; 615.73
• DOI: 10.1111/apt.16204
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-2813

Abstract

Summary: Background: Dietary fructans may worsen gastrointestinal symptoms in children with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Aim: To determine whether gut microbiome composition and function are associated with childhood IBS fructan‐induced symptoms. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from 38 children aged 7‐17 years with paediatric Rome III IBS, who previously completied a double‐blind, randomised, placebo‐controlled crossover (fructan vs maltodextrin) trial. Fructan sensitivity was defined as an increase of ≥30% in abdominal pain frequency during the fructan diet. Gut microbial composition was determined via 16Sv4 rDNA sequencing. LEfSe evaluated taxonomic composition differences. Tax4Fun2 predicted microbial fructan metabolic pathways. Results: At baseline, 17 fructan‐sensitive (vs 21 fructan‐tolerant) subjects had lower alpha diversity ( q < 0.05) and were enriched in the genus Holdermania . In contrast, fructan‐tolerant subjects were enriched in 14 genera from the class Clostridia. During the fructan diet, fructan‐sensitive (vs tolerant) subjects were enriched in both Agathobacter ( P = 0.02) and Cyanobacteria ( P = 0.0001). In contrast, fructan‐tolerant subjects were enriched in three genera from the Clostridia class. Comparing the fructan vs maltodextrin diet, fructan‐sensitive subjects had a significantly increased relative abundance of Bifidobacterium ( P = 0.02) while fructan‐tolerant subjects had increased Anaerostipes ( P = 0.03) during the fructan diet. Only fructan‐sensitive subjects had a trend towards increased predicted β‐fructofuranosidase during the fructan vs maltodextrin diet. Conclusions: Fructan‐sensitive children with IBS have distinct gut microbiome signatures. These microbiome signatures differ both at baseline and in response to a fructan challenge.