1
|
Schirò G, Iacono S, Balistreri CR. The Role of Human Microbiota in Myasthenia Gravis: A Narrative Review. Neurol Int 2023; 15:392-404. [PMID: 36976669 PMCID: PMC10053295 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint15010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by fluctuating weakness of the skeletal muscles. Although antibodies against the neuromuscular junction components are recognized, the MG pathogenesis remains unclear, even if with a well-known multifactorial character. However, the perturbations of human microbiota have been recently suggested to contribute to MG pathogenesis and clinical course. Accordingly, some products derived from commensal flora have been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory effects, while other have been shown to possess pro-inflammatory properties. In addition, patients with MG when compared with age-matched controls showed a distinctive composition in the oral and gut microbiota, with a typical increase in Streptococcus and Bacteroides and a reduction in Clostridia as well as short-chain fatty acid reduction. Moreover, restoring the gut microbiota perturbation has been evidenced after the administration of probiotics followed by an improvement of symptoms in MG cases. To highlight the role of the oral and gut microbiota in MG pathogenesis and clinical course, here, the current evidence has been summarized and reviewed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Schirò
- Neurology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Iacono
- Neurology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Carmela Rita Balistreri
- Cellular and Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Payet CA, You A, Fayet OM, Hemery E, Truffault F, Bondet V, Duffy D, Michel F, Fadel E, Guihaire J, Demeret S, Berrih-Aknin S, Le Panse R. Central Role of Macrophages and Nucleic Acid Release in Myasthenia Gravis Thymus. Ann Neurol 2022; 93:643-654. [PMID: 36571580 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease mediated by antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR). The thymus plays a primary role in AChR-MG and is characterized by a type I interferon (IFN) signature linked to IFN-β. We investigated if AChR-MG was characterized by an IFN-I signature in the blood, and further investigated the chronic thymic IFN-I signature. METHODS Serum levels of IFN-β and IFN-α subtypes, and mRNA expression for IFN-I subtypes and IFN-stimulated genes in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) were analyzed. The contribution of endogenous nucleic acids in thymic expression of IFN-I subtypes was investigated in human thymic epithelial cell cultures and the mouse thymus. By immunohistochemistry, thymic CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages were analyzed in AChR-MG. To investigate the impact of a decrease in thymic macrophages, mice were treated with an anti-CSF1R antibody. RESULTS No IFN-I signature was observed in the periphery emphasizing that the IFN-I signature is restricted to the MG thymus. Molecules mimicking endogenous dsDNA signalization (Poly(dA:dT) and 2'3'-cGAMP), or dexamethasone-induced necrotic thymocytes increased IFN-β and α-AChR expression by thymic epithelial cells, and in the mouse thymus. A significant decrease in thymic macrophages was demonstrated in AChR-MG. In mice, a decrease in thymic macrophages led to an increase of necrotic thymocytes associated with IFN-β and α-AChR expression. INTERPRETATION These results suggest that the decrease of thymic macrophages in AChR-MG impairs the elimination of apoptotic thymocytes favoring the release of endogenous nucleic acids from necrotic thymocytes. In this inflammatory context, thymic epithelial cells may overexpress IFN-β, which specifically induces α-AChR, resulting in self-sensitization and thymic changes leading to AChR-MG. ANN NEUROL 2023.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cloé A Payet
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Association Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, UMRS, Paris, France
| | - Axel You
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Association Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, UMRS, Paris, France
| | - Odessa-Maud Fayet
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Association Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, UMRS, Paris, France
| | - Edouard Hemery
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Association Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, UMRS, Paris, France
| | - Frederique Truffault
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Association Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, UMRS, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Bondet
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Darragh Duffy
- Translational Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Frédérique Michel
- Cytokine signaling unit, INSERM U1224, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Elie Fadel
- Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Paris-Sud University, Le Plessis-Robinson, France
| | - Julien Guihaire
- Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Paris-Sud University, Le Plessis-Robinson, France
| | - Sophie Demeret
- Department of Neurology, Neuro Intensive Care Unit, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Berrih-Aknin
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Association Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, UMRS, Paris, France
| | - Rozen Le Panse
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Association Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, UMRS, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Huang C, Gao F, Zhou H, Zhang L, Shang D, Ji Y, Duan Z. Oral Microbiota Profile in a Group of Anti-AChR Antibody–Positive Myasthenia Gravis Patients. Front Neurol 2022; 13:938360. [PMID: 35873770 PMCID: PMC9301194 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.938360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder caused by autoantibodies directed against the postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction. Perturbation of gut microbiota is thought to contribute to the development of MG, as reflected by fecal metabolomic signatures in humans, but there have been few studies on the relationship between oral microbiota profile and MG. The current study evaluated the correlation between oral microbiota composition and diversity and anti-acetylcholinereceptor (AChR) antibody–positive MG by comparing oral microbiota communities of patients (n = 20) and healthy controls (HCs; n = 20) by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Principal coordinate analysis and Adonis analysis revealed significant differences in oral microflora profile between the twogroups. Compared to HCs, the abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and genera Streptococcus, Rothia, and Lachnoanerobaculum was significantly increased whereas that of phyla Proteobacteria and Spirochaetotaand genera Neisseria, Haemophilus, and Treponema was significantly decreased in MG patients. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that the biosynthesis of ansamycins and amino acid metabolism pathways were altered in MG. These results indicate that oral microbiota composition is perturbed in patients with anti-AChR antibody–positive MG, providing new potential avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Huang
- Department of Neurology, Luoyang Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Luoyang Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) Clinical Medical Research Center, Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases of Henan Province, Luoyang, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Haitao Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Luoyang Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Luoyang Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) Clinical Medical Research Center, Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases of Henan Province, Luoyang, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Luoyang Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Luoyang Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) Clinical Medical Research Center, Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases of Henan Province, Luoyang, China
| | - Dandan Shang
- Department of Neurology, Luoyang Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Luoyang Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) Clinical Medical Research Center, Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases of Henan Province, Luoyang, China
| | - Ying Ji
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhihui Duan
- Department of Neurology, Luoyang Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Luoyang Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) Clinical Medical Research Center, Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases of Henan Province, Luoyang, China
- *Correspondence: Zhihui Duan
| |
Collapse
|