Altered gut bacterial-fungal interkingdom networks in children and adolescents with depression

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Gut-brain axis studies
• Fungal ecology

Background:

• Gut-brain axis research has primarily focused on bacteria, with limited understanding of commensal fungi.
• Gut bacterial dysbiosis is noted in pediatric depression, but the role of the gut mycobiome remains unevaluated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the gut mycobiome composition and its association with the gut microbiota in children and adolescents with depression.
• To explore potential fungal biomarkers for depression in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• Faecal samples were collected from 145 children and adolescents diagnosed with depression and 110 healthy controls.
• Mitochondrial sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) rRNA gene was employed to analyze fungal microbiota composition.
• Associations between fungal and bacterial microbiota were examined.

Main Results:

• While fungal diversity remained unchanged, the taxonomic composition of the faecal fungal microbiota was altered in depressed individuals.
• Specific fungi, including Saccharomyces and Apiotrichum, were enriched in depressed patients, whereas Aspergillus and Xeromyces showed reduced abundance.
• The bacterial-fungal interkingdom network was significantly altered, with distinct mycobiome profiles correlating with different bacterial microbiomes.

Conclusions:

• The gut mycobiome composition is altered in children and adolescents experiencing depression.
• These findings suggest a significant role for gut fungi in maintaining gut microbiota balance and highlight potential novel therapeutic avenues for depression.