Study of the gut Microbiome Profile in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Single Tertiary Hospital Experience

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Neuroscience
• Genetics

Background:

• The gut microbiome's role in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is increasingly recognized.
• Understanding gut microbiome alterations in specific populations like Egyptian children with ASD is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gut microbiome changes in Egyptian children with ASD.
• To explore correlations between gut microbiome alterations, ASD severity, and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms.
• To compare the gut microbiome of ASD children, their siblings, and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative SYBR Green real-time PCR targeting 16S rRNA of selected bacteria.
• Analysis of gut bacterial microbiome in 41 ASD children, 45 siblings, and 45 healthy controls.
• Assessment of Prevotella/Bacteroides (P/B) and Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratios.

Main Results:

• ASD children and their siblings exhibited higher relative abundance of Bacteroides and Ruminococcus compared to controls.
• Significantly lower P/B and F/B ratios were observed in both ASD cases and their siblings.
• Siblings had higher Bifidobacterium levels than ASD children, suggesting a potential protective effect. No correlation was found between microbiome changes and ASD severity or GI symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Evidence suggests altered gut microbiome composition in Egyptian children with ASD.
• The gut microbiome of siblings resembled that of ASD children more than unrelated controls, indicating shared environmental and genetic influences.
• Diet, living conditions, and host genetics likely impact gut microbiota in the context of ASD.