Investigation of Akkermansia muciniphila, Methanobrevibacter smithii and Prevotella spp. in the intestinal microbiota of patients with Multiple sclerosis

Investigation of Akkermansia muciniphila, Methanobrevibacter smithii and Prevotella spp. in the Intestinal Microbiota of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Aim: In the sources mentioning the relationship between Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and intestinal microbiota, A.muciniphila, M.smithii, Prevotella spp. are suggested to be associated with MS. We aimed to investigate their amount in the Turkish population with MS. Materials and Methods: A.muciniphila, Prevotella spp., M.smithii amounts in the stool samples of 40 treated, 40 untreated MS patients and 40 healthy individuals were investigated by real-time PCR between September 2022 and September 2023. Data were compared statistically. Results: Statistical analyses revealed significantly lower levels of A.muciniphila in both treated and untreated MS patients compared to healthy individuals (p<0.001, p<0.001). Comparing with healthy womens and men this lower levels was observed in treated and untreated MS women and in treated MS men (p=0.002, p<0.001, p=0.023). Additionally, M.smithii levels were significantly reduced in untreated MS patients, especially in untreated women versus healthy controls (p=0.004, p=0.010). However, a significant M.smithii increase was observed in treated women compared to treated men and untreated women (p=0.011, p=0.028). Furthermore, Prevotella spp. levels were decreased in treated and untreated patients compared to controls (p=0.002, p=0.001). Conclusion: A.muciniphila, Prevotella spp. and M.smithii amounts investigated in the intestinal microbiota of MS patients in our country were found lower than those of healthy individuals. Treatment did not significantly alter these bacterial levels, except for the archaeon M.smithii which increased in MS women. We believe that new perspectives on the course and treatment of MS may be developed explaining the decrease in the amount of these bacteria through microbiome analysis.