Alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolite profiles of patients with Kashin-Beck disease, an endemic osteoarthritis in China

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a severe osteochondral disorder potentially driven by genetic and environmental factors. This study investigated the gut microbiota structure in KBD patients of different grades and its relationship with serum metabolites. Fecal and serum samples from KBD patients and controls were analyzed using 16S rDNA gene and metabolomic sequencing. KBD patients showed elevated *Fusobacteria* and *Bacteroidetes*, with increased abundance of genera like *Alloprevotella*, *Robinsoniella*, *Megamonas*, and *Escherichia_Shigella*. Metagenomic sequencing confirmed these findings at the species level, primarily within the *Prevotella* genus. Serum metabolomic analysis revealed altered lipid metabolism, including unsaturated fatty acids and glycerophospholipids, linked to specific microbial species. This research provides a comprehensive view of the gut microbiota and metabolites in KBD and demonstrates a novel gut microbiome-metabolome interplay in KBD pathogenesis.

Xi Wang, Yujie Ning, Cheng Li, Yi Gong, Ruitian Huang, Minhan Hu, Blandine Poulet, Ke Xu, Guanghui Zhao, Rong Zhou, Mikko J. Lammi, Xiong Guo