Abstract:
Objective: The primary objective is to study the impact of gut microbiota and their
interactions with diverse immunological markers on the development of rheumatoid
arthritis.
Methods: This study was performed in Astana, Kazakhstan, and included 77 Kazakh
female patients older than 18 years, who met the American College of Rheumatology
2010 classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 113 healthy controls.
The DNA was extracted from fecal samples obtained from all study participants for
subsequent sequencing at the 16S rRNA gene V1-V3 locus, facilitating the analysis of
the gut microbiome. The Multiplex immunoassay was employed to measure the
concentrations of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and immunoglobulins in
both fecal and plasma samples.
Results: Our taxonomic analysis revealed significant differences in the composition
of the gut microbiota between the healthy control cohort and the cohort with
rheumatoid arthritis RA. Alpha diversity was significantly lower in the RA group.
Lachnospiraceae were the most abundant taxon and found to be crucial, showing
correlations with immunological markers such as IL5. Additionally, Lachnospiraceae
and Oscillospiraceae exhibited the most predictable power and distinguished the
composition of both study groups.
Conclusion: Our study identifies key differences in the gut microbiome of RA
patients, revealing distinct microbial patterns and specific taxa abundance. We
highlight potential biomarkers in immunological and bacterial pathways, offering
insights into RA development and indicating possibilities for personalized treatment.
