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Multi-cohort analysis identifying core ocular surface microbiome and bacterial alterations in eye diseases
Xiangtian Ling1, Xiu Juan Zhang1, Christine H T Bui1
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Eye (London, England)
|January 20, 2025
Summary
The human ocular surface microbiome (OSM) includes seven core genera, with Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus being most abundant. OSM alterations are linked to ocular diseases, suggesting a role in disease pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ophthalmology
- Genomics
Background:
- Inconsistent findings exist regarding the human ocular surface microbiome (OSM) composition.
- The specific roles of the OSM in ocular health and disease remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the composition of the OSM across multiple cohorts.
- To evaluate the potential roles and functions of the OSM in ocular conditions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 16S sequencing data from 1875 ocular surface samples across 17 studies.
- Employed QIIME2 and PICRUSt2 for standardized data processing and cross-cohort analysis.
- Conducted core microbiome, genera comparison, and MetaCyc pathway analyses.
Main Results:
- Identified seven core genera in the OSM: Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, Cutibacterium, and Bacillus.
- Observed OSM alterations in most ocular diseases, with eight genera showing shared responses.
- Predicted metabolic pathway changes linked to OSM alterations, indicating functional roles.
Conclusions:
- Refined the core OSM composition by integrating multiple cohorts.
- Highlighted shared patterns across datasets for further investigation.
- Bioinformatic analysis suggests a significant role of the OSM in ocular diseases.
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