Gut microbiome in Down syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Premature aging seriously compromises the health status of Down Syndrome (DS) persons. Since human aging has been associated with a deterioration of the gut microbiota (GM)-host mutualism, here we investigated the composition of GM in DS.


METHODS
The observational study presented involved 17 adult DS persons. We characterized the GM structure by 454 pyrosequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. DS microbiome was compared with that of age-matched healthy non-trisomic adults enrolled in the same geographic area.


CONCLUSIONS
The dominant GM fraction of DS persons showed an overall mutualistic immune-modulatory layout, comparable to that of healthy controls. This makes GM a possible factor counteracting the genetic determined acceleration of immune senescence in DS persons. However, we also found detectable signatures specific for DS among subdominant GM components, such as the increase of Parasporobacterium and Sutterella. In particular, the abundance of this last microorganism significantly correlated with the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) total score, allowing us to hypothesize a possible role for this microbial genus in behavioral features in DS.
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Elena
E
Biagi
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Marco
M
Candela
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Manuela
M
Centanni
Institute of Biomedical Technologies - Italian National Research Council, Milan, Italy.
Clarissa
C
Consolandi
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Simone
S
Rampelli
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Silvia
S
Turroni
Institute of Biomedical Technologies - Italian National Research Council, Milan, Italy.
Marco
M
Severgnini
Institute of Biomedical Technologies - Italian National Research Council, Milan, Italy.
Clelia
C
Peano
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Alessandro
A
Ghezzo
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Maria
M
Scurti
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Stefano
S
Salvioli
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Claudio
C
Franceschi
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Patrizia
P
Brigidi
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S