Abstract
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of several neurological and psychiatric diseases, but few studies report the contribution of biological features in the occurrence of mood disorders in obese patients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the potential links between serum metabolomics and gut microbiome, and mood disturbances in a cohort of obese patients. Psychological, biological characteristics and nutritional habits were evaluated in 94 obese subjects from the Food4Gut study stratified according to their mood score assessed by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The fecal gut microbiota and plasma non-targeted metabolomics were analysed. Obese subjects with increased negative mood display elevated levels of Coprococcus as well as decreased levels of Sutterella and Lactobacillus. Serum metabolite profile analysis reveals in these subjects altered levels of several amino acid-derived metabolites, such as an increased level of L-histidine and a decreased in phenylacetylglutamine, linked to altered gut microbiota composition and function rather than to differences in dietary amino acid intake. Regarding clinical profile, we did not observe any differences between both groups. Our results reveal new microbiota-derived metabolites that characterize the alterations of mood in obese subjects, thereby allowing to propose new targets to tackle mood disturbances in this context. Food4gut, clinicaltrial.gov: NCT03852069.
Highlights
Obesity affects a growing proportion of the world population [1]
Gut microbiota composition was available for 86 subjects while metabolomics analysis was conducted only in one of the three centers which correspond to 38 patients
We found no difference in any of the predicted expression of the enzymes but only non-significant decrease (p = 0.09) for the urocanate reductase, an enzyme involved in the production of imidazole propionate from histidine, in the low mood score group (Figure 2D)
Summary
Obesity affects a growing proportion of the world population [1] This disease is associated with several comorbidities including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurological disturbances [2]. It is well accepted that the characteristics of the gut microbiota may modulate the production of metabolites that can in turn drive metabolic or inflammatory disturbances [9,10]. The combination of both pathological components probably involves several factors, notably inflammation, hormonal disturbances or insulin-resistance [3]. Knowing that diet and microbiome are the strongest determinants of the human serum metabolome [16], the identification of bioactive metabolites issued from the interaction of food components and microbiota could be helpful in proposed biomarkers of psychological health improvement based on nutritional strategies
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