Park Hang A, Sung Joohon, Chang Yoosoo, Ryu Seungho, Yoon Kyung Jae, Kim Hyung-Lae, Kim Han-Na
Genome and Health Big Data Laboratory, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2025 Feb;16(1):e13636. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.13636. Epub 2024 Nov 19.
This study aimed to explore the association between gut microbiota functional profiles and skeletal muscle mass, focusing on sex-specific differences in a population under 65 years of age.
Stool samples from participants were analysed using metagenomic shotgun sequencing. Skeletal muscle mass and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) were quantified (SMI [%] = total appendage muscle mass [kg]/body weight [kg] × 100) using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Participants were categorized into SMI quartiles, and associations between gut microbiota, functional profiling and SMI were assessed by sex, adjusting for age, BMI and physical activity.
The cohort included 1027 participants (651 men, 376 women). In men, Escherichia coli (log2 fold change 3.08, q = 0.001), Ruminococcus_B gnavus (log2 fold change 2.89, q = 0.014) and Enterocloster sp001517625 (log2 fold change 2.47, q = 0.026) were more abundant in the lowest SMI compared to the highest SMI group. In contrast, Bifidobacterium bifidum (log2 fold change 3.13, q = 0.025) showed higher levels in the second lowest SMI group in women. Microbial pathways associated with amino acid synthesis (MET-SAM-PWY: log2 fold change 0.42; METSYN-PWY: log2 fold change 0.44; SER-GLYSYN-PWY: log2 fold change 0.20; PWY-5347: log2 fold change 0.41; P4-PWY: log2 fold change 0.53), N-acetylneuraminate degradation (log2 fold change 0.43), isoprene biosynthesis (log2 fold change 0.20) and purine nucleotide degradation and salvage (PWY-6353: log2 fold change 0.42; PWY-6608: log2 fold change 0.38; PWY66-409: log2 fold change 0.52; SALVADEHYPOX-PWY: log2 fold change 0.43) were enriched in the lowest SMI in men (q < 0.10). In women, the second lowest SMI group showed enrichment in energy-related pathways, including lactic acid fermentation (ANAEROFRUCAT-PWY: log2 fold change 0.19), pentose phosphate pathway (PENTOSE-P-PWY: log2 fold change 0.30) and carbohydrate degradation (PWY-5484: log2 fold change 0.31; GLYCOLYSIS: log2 fold change 0.29; PWY-6901: log2 fold change 0.27) (q < 0.05).
This study highlights sex-specific differences in gut microbiota and functional pathways associated with SMI. These findings suggest that gut microbiota may play a role in muscle health and point toward microbiota-targeted strategies for maintaining muscle mass.
本研究旨在探讨肠道微生物群功能谱与骨骼肌质量之间的关联，重点关注65岁以下人群中的性别差异。
使用宏基因组鸟枪法测序分析参与者的粪便样本。采用生物电阻抗分析对骨骼肌质量和骨骼肌质量指数（SMI）进行量化（SMI [%] = 总附属肌肉质量[kg]/体重[kg]×100）。参与者被分为SMI四分位数组，并按性别评估肠道微生物群、功能谱与SMI之间的关联，同时对年龄、体重指数和身体活动进行校正。
该队列包括1027名参与者（651名男性，376名女性）。在男性中，与最高SMI组相比，最低SMI组中大肠杆菌（log2倍变化3.08，q = 0.001）、解木聚糖瘤胃球菌（log2倍变化2.89，q = 0.014）和Enterocloster sp001517625（log2倍变化2.47，q = 0.026）更为丰富。相比之下，在女性中，第二低SMI组中两歧双歧杆菌（log2倍变化3.13，q = 0.025）水平较高。与氨基酸合成相关的微生物途径（MET-SAM-PWY：log2倍变化0.42；METSYN-PWY：log2倍变化0.44；SER-GLYSYN-PWY：log2倍变化0.20；PWY-5347：log2倍变化0.41；P4-PWY：log2倍变化0.53）、N-乙酰神经氨酸降解（log2倍变化0.43）、异戊二烯生物合成（log2倍变化0.20）以及嘌呤核苷酸降解和补救（PWY-6353：log2倍变化0.42；PWY-6608：log2倍变化0.38；PWY66-409：log2倍变化0.52；SALVADEHYPOX-PWY：log2倍变化0.43）在男性最低SMI组中富集（q < 0.10）。在女性中，第二低SMI组在与能量相关的途径中表现出富集，包括乳酸发酵（ANAEROFRUCAT-PWY：log2倍变化0.19）、磷酸戊糖途径（PENTOSE-P-PWY：log2倍变化0.30）和碳水化合物降解（PWY-5484：log2倍变化0.31；糖酵解：log2倍变化0.29；PWY-6901：log2倍变化0.27）（q < 0.05）。
本研究突出了肠道微生物群以及与SMI相关的功能途径中的性别差异。这些发现表明肠道微生物群可能在肌肉健康中发挥作用，并指向针对微生物群的维持肌肉质量的策略。
