Gut microbiota in pediatric multiple sclerosis patients

Gut Microbiota in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Patients The study aims to determine the taxonomic distribution of gut microbiota in treatment-naive pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, investigate the relationships between microbiota profiles and clinical progression, and evaluate functional capacities of microbial communities in disease pathophysiology. The study included 30 treatment naive pediatric MS patients diagnosed according to the McDonald 2017 criteria, along with 30 age and gender matched healthy controls. Demographic data and MS specific laboratory findings were recorded. Stool samples were analyzed with 16S rRNA gene sequencing and data were subjected to bioinformatics analyses. There were no significant differences between patient and control groups in age, gender, body mass index, mode of delivery, duration of breastfeeding, history of antibiotic use, and exposure to smoking. Bacterial diversity and abundance were evaluated in terms of alpha and beta diversity, with a significant difference found in beta diversity. In the patient group, Bacilli, Tannerellaceae, and Parabacteroides were increased at class level, while Faecalibacterium and Roseburia were decreased. These changes are thought to have proinflammatory effects. This study is the first to compare the gut microbiota compositions of treatment naive pediatric MS patients with healthy controls. The results show that microbiota diversity is reduced in pediatric MS patients and that there are significant differences in the proportions of bacteria producing antiinflammatory metabolites. These findings support the potential role of gut microbiota in the etiopathogenesis of pediatric MS and suggest that future therapeutic approaches could be influenced by microbiota targeted strategies.