High Abundance of Proteobacteria in Ileo-Anal Pouch Anastomosis and Increased Abundance of Fusobacteria Associated with Increased Pouch Inflammation

• Main Authors: Andreas Munk Petersen, Hengameh Chloé Mirsepasi-Lauridsen, Marianne K. Vester-Andersen, Nikolaj Sørensen, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, Flemming Bendtsen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Antibiotics
• Subjects: Proteobacteria; <i>Escherichia coli</i>; Fusobacteria; pouchitis; inflammatory bowel disease; calprotectin
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/9/5/237

Low diversity intestinal dysbiosis has been associated with inflammatory bowel disease, including patients with ulcerative colitis with an ileo-anal pouch anastomosis. Furthermore, specific <i>Escherichia coli</i> phylogroups have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease. Our aim was to characterize the differences among microbiota and <i>E. coli</i> phylogroups in active and inactive pouchitis. Disease activity was assessed using the modified pouch disease activity index and by fecal calprotectin. Microbiota diversity was assessed by 16S rDNA MiSeq sequencing. <i>E. coli</i> phylogroup was determined after triplex PCR. Twenty patients with ulcerative colitis with an ileo-anal pouch anastomosis were included, 10 of whom had active pouchitis. Ileo-anal pouch anastomosis patients had an increased abundance of Proteobacteria colonization compared to patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease and healthy controls, <i>p</i> = 1.4·10⁻⁵. No differences in <i>E. coli</i> phylogroup colonization could be determined between cases of active and inactive disease. No significant link was found between α-diversity and pouch inflammation. However, higher levels of Fusobacteria colonization were found in patients with a pouch with a fecal calprotectin level above 500, <i>p</i> = 0.02. In conclusion, patients with a pouch had an increased Proteobacteria abundance, but only Fusobacteria abundance was linked to inflammation.