Aging-related Alterations in Gastric Microbiota: A Potential Contributor to Gastrointestinal Diseases

Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is believed to cause several gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. The aging process captures many facets of biological variation of the human body, which leads to functional decline and increased incidence of infection in the gastric of elderly people. However, till date, most of the larger studies have focused on adult populations. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that microbial dysbiosis with the progression of age could lead to GI diseases. METHODS: This study involved 48 patients: 13 were 18–35 years old (Group 1), 13 were 36–50 years old (Group 2), 14 were 51–65 years old (Group 3), and 10 were 66–90 years old (Group 4). Gastric microbiome composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing, and the resulting operational taxonomic units were compared to study the microbial alterations among the age groups. RESULTS: Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) was found to sharply increase from Group 1 to Group 2 and then just as sharply decreased from Group 3 to Group 4. At the phylum level, Patescibacteria was positively correlated and Proteobacteria, Campylobacterota, Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Fusobacteria were negatively correlated with the age. At the genus level, Ralstonia and TM7x were positively correlated and Alloprevotella, Staphylococcus, Veillonella, Rothia, and Prevotella showed negative correlation with the age of the subjects. The correlation of other genera with Ralstonia was studied. CONCLUSION: Our results highlighted that microbial dysbiosis caused by aging can be a factor for causing GI diseases. Further studies are recommended.