Mendelian randomization study of the association between gut microbiota and liver cirrhosis in East Asian populations
10.3969/j.issn.1673-9701.2025.09.003
- VernacularTitle:东亚人群肠道菌群与肝硬化之间关联的孟德尔随机化研究
- Author:
Fengying GUO
1
;
Tao ZHANG
Author Information
1. 湖南中医药大学第一中医临床学院,湖南长沙 410208
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Mendelian randomization;
East Asian population;
Gut microbiota;
Liver cirrhosis;
Genome wide association study
- From:
China Modern Doctor
2025;63(9):9-14
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To explore the association between gut microbiota and liver cirrhosis in East Asian populations by using Mendelian randomization(MR)methods.Methods Genome wide association study(GWAS)datasets on gut microbiota were obtained from National GeneBank Big Data Platform and GWAS datasets on liver cirrhosis were obtained from IEU Open GWAS database,by using gut microbiota as the exposure factor and liver cirrhosis as the outcome variable.Inverse variance weighted(IVW)method was adopted as the main analytical method,with the constrained maximum likelihood and model averaging(cML-MA)method as a secondary analysis method,to verify the causal relationship between gut microbiota and liver cirrhosis.The robustness of the results were further validated through sensitivity analysis and leave-one-out analysis.Results The primary IVW analysis preliminarily identified 16 gut microbiota species associated with liver cirrhosis.An increased abundance of Clostridium L2-50,Marvinbryantia,Sulfate-reducing bacteria,Treponema socranskii,Coprococcus,Ruminococcaceae,Sanguinibacter,Vibrio funis,Thermanaerovibrio,and Mitsuokella was found to elevate the risk of liver cirrhosis.Conversely,an increased abundance of Desulfovibrio,Clostridium hathewayi,Propionibacterium,Allistipes,Bacteroides salanitiphilus,and Dyella was associated with a reduced risk of liver cirrhosis.The cML-MA analysis revealed statistical significance for Mitsuokella,Clostridium L2-50,Marvinbryantia,Coprococcus,and Dyella,indicating a strong correlation between these five gut microbiota species and liver cirrhosis.The heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy for 16 bacterial clusters showed P＞0.05,suggesting an absence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy,and the leave-one-out analysis did not identify any abnormal single nucleotide polymorphism.Conclusion This research reveals an association between 16 gut microbiota and liver cirrhosis in the East Asian population,with 5 of these gut microbiota demonstrating a significant correlation with liver cirrhosis,and offering new genetic insights for the prevention and treatment of liver cirrhosis.
