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Updated: Jan 15, 2026
Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: September 22, 2023
Integrated multi-omics highlights alterations of gut microbiome functions in prodromal and idiopathic Parkinson's
Rémy Villette1, Júlia Ortís Sunyer1, Polina V Novikova1
1Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
Background:
Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with gut microbiome shifts. These shifts are mainly described at taxonomic level, but the functional consequences remain unclear. To obtain insight into the functional disruptions of the gut microbiome in PD, we used an integrated multi-omics approach, comparing gut microbiomes of individuals with PD, prodromal PD, and healthy controls.
Results:
Meta-metabolomics, the most discriminatory and robust omics level, was selected to Guide the analysis. We identified 11 metabolites that were differentially abundant between the groups, among which β-glutamate was increased in PD and prodromal PD, and correlated with the transcriptional activities of Methanobrevibacter smithii and Clostridium spp. We identified decreases in transcripts, but not in gene abundances, related to glutamate metabolism, bile acids biosynthesis, chemotaxis, and flagellar assembly in PD, particularly in keystone genera such as Roseburia, Agathobacter, and Blautia. Our findings, integrated into the Expobiome map, reveal multifactorial microbiome alterations which converge with PD pathways.
Conclusion:
Our study highlights the apparent disruption of microbial gene expression in PD, particularly in genes associated to mobility. Moreover, we showcase the importance of investigating the gut microbiome's functional dimensions to better resolve microbiome-host interactions in health and disease.
Insights
Parkinson's disease (PD) is linked to gut microbiome changes. This study reveals altered microbial gene expression, particularly affecting mobility, offering new insights into PD's gut-brain axis connections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with alterations in the gut microbiome.
- The functional impact of these microbial shifts in PD remains largely unknown.
- This study investigates the functional consequences of gut microbiome changes in PD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the functional disruptions in the gut microbiome of individuals with PD.
- To compare functional microbiome alterations in PD, prodromal PD, and healthy controls.
- To understand the role of microbial gene expression in PD pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an integrated multi-omics approach.
- Employed meta-metabolomics as a key analytical strategy.
- Compared gut microbiomes from PD patients, prodromal PD individuals, and healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Identified 11 differentially abundant metabolites, with increased β-glutamate in PD and prodromal PD.
- Observed decreased microbial transcripts related to glutamate metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, and motility in PD.
- Found alterations in gene expression, not gene abundance, in key genera like Roseburia, Agathobacter, and Blautia.
Conclusions:
- Microbial gene expression, especially for motility-related genes, is significantly disrupted in PD.
- Investigating the functional aspects of the gut microbiome is crucial for understanding host-microbe interactions in disease.
- These findings contribute to understanding the gut microbiome's role in Parkinson's disease pathways.
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