Comparative analysis of gut microbiota composition in the fecal samples from type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and healthy individuals: a case control study

Elmira  Saiedi; Reza  Shapouri; Fakhri  Haghi; Habib  Zeighami

doi:10.18502/ijm.v17i6.20354

Elmira Saiedi Department of Microbiology, Za.c., Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran
Reza Shapouri Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Fakhri Haghi Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Habib Zeighami Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i6.20354

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Gut microbiota; Real-time polymerase chain reaction; Case-control

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Insulin resistance and elevated blood glucose levels are the hallmarks of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), a chronic metabolic condition. Emerging research suggests that gut microbiota may play a causal role in T2DM. This study compares T2DM patients' gut microbiota to healthy controls, focusing on Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, Prevotella, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes.

Materials and Methods: This case-control research involved 50 T2DM patients and 50 healthy controls, aged 39-75. Quan- titative real-time PCR (qPCR) employing 16S rRNA gene primers was used to detect and quantify bacterial diversity in fecal samples. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the microbiota composition between groups.

Results: The gut microbiome of patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus differed significantly from that of healthy controls. In T2DM patients, Lactobacillus spp. and the Firmicutes phylum had higher relative fold differences, while A. muciniphila had lower abundance. No substantial alterations were seen in Bifidobacterium spp., Prevotella, or Bacteroidetes. T2DM patients had more Lactobacillus spp. and Firmicutes and less A. muciniphila in their gut microbiome.

Conclusion: While gut microbiota is linked to T2DM, this study analyzes the bacterial composition to identify taxa that change significantly. Further research is essential to unravel the complex relationships between gut microbiota and T2DM pathogenesis, particularly through species-level analysis and genomic studies to identify the primary associated clades.