Faecal metabolite deficit, gut inflammation and diet in Parkinson's disease: Integrative analysis indicates inflammatory response syndrome

Aisha Augustin, Adrien Le Guennec, Chianna Umamahesan, Aidan Kendler-Rhodes, Rosalind M Tucker, Elena Chekmeneva, Panteleimon Takis, Matthew Lewis, Karthik Balasubramanian, Neville DeSouza, Benjamin H Mullish, David Taylor, Suzanne Ryan, Kevin Whelan, Yun Ma, Mohammad A A Ibrahim, Ingvar Bjarnason, Bu' Hussain Hayee, André Charlett, Sylvia M DobbsR John Dobbs, Clive Weller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Gut-brain axis is widely implicated in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). We take an integrated approach to considering the gut as a target for disease-modifying intervention, using continuous measurements of disease facets irrespective of diagnostic divide.

METHODS: We characterised 77 participants with diagnosed-PD, 113 without, by dietary/exogenous substance intake, faecal metabolome, intestinal inflammation, serum cytokines/chemokines, clinical phenotype including colonic transit time. Complete-linkage hierarchical cluster analysis of metabolites discriminant for PD-status was performed.

RESULTS: Longer colonic transit was linked to deficits in faecal short-chain-fatty acids outside PD, to a 'tryptophan-containing metabolite cluster' overall. Phenotypic cluster analysis aggregated colonic transit with brady/hypokinesia, tremor, sleep disorder and dysosmia, each individually associated with tryptophan-cluster deficit. Overall, a faster pulse was associated with deficits in a metabolite cluster including benzoic acid and an imidazole-ring compound (anti-fungals) and vitamin B3 (anti-inflammatory) and with higher serum CCL20 (chemotactic for lymphocytes/dendritic cells towards mucosal epithelium). The faster pulse in PD was irrespective of postural hypotension. The benzoic acid-cluster deficit was linked to (well-recognised) lower caffeine and alcohol intakes, tryptophan-cluster deficit to higher maltose intake. Free-sugar intake was increased in PD, maltose intake being 63% higher (p = .001). Faecal calprotectin was 44% (95% CI 5%, 98%) greater in PD [p = .001, adjusted for proton-pump inhibitors (p = .001)], with 16% of PD-probands exceeding a cut-point for clinically significant inflammation compatible with inflammatory bowel disease. Higher maltose intake was associated with exceeding this calprotectin cut-point.

CONCLUSIONS: Emerging picture is of (i) clinical phenotype being described by deficits in microbial metabolites essential to gut health; (ii) intestinal inflammation; (iii) a systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e1152
JournalClinical and Translational Medicine
Volume13
Issue number1
Early online date1 Jan 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2023

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