Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory Pain
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Several studies suggest gut microbiota metabolites as important immuno-modulators in inflammatory pain. We aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and gut dysbiosis markers in fibromyalgia (FM)-associated chronic inflammation. <b>...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Caterina Saija Maria Paola Bertuccio Alberto Scoglio Vincenzo Macaione Francesco Cacciola Giuseppe Micalizzi Daniela Caccamo Carolina Muscoli Monica Currò |
| author_facet | Caterina Saija Maria Paola Bertuccio Alberto Scoglio Vincenzo Macaione Francesco Cacciola Giuseppe Micalizzi Daniela Caccamo Carolina Muscoli Monica Currò |
| author_sort | Caterina Saija |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Several studies suggest gut microbiota metabolites as important immuno-modulators in inflammatory pain. We aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and gut dysbiosis markers in fibromyalgia (FM)-associated chronic inflammation. <b>Methods</b>: Blood samples were collected from sixty-eight female FM patients (49.9 ± 12.35 years). Pain intensity was assessed by FIQ-R. The serum levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-γ, as well as those of vitamin D (25(OH)D3) and the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp) were determined by ELISA and HPLC, respectively. The plasma levels of the SCFAs acetate, butyrate, and propionate were detected by GC-MS. <b>Results</b>: A mean FIQ-R score indicated that the patients could be classified as having moderate FM. The mean levels of all cytokines, but IL-6 and IL-1β, were higher than the normal reference values. The highest concentrations of cytokines were observed in patients showing the highest FIQ-R scores and the lowest 25(OH)D3 levels. Deficient levels of acetate were found paralleled by an increase in Kyn/Trp. The highest acetate concentrations were detected in patients with the lowest FIQ-R scores and 25(OH)D3 levels. Significantly negative correlations were found between 25(OH)D3 concentrations and FIQ-R scores (<i>p</i> = 0.007) as well as IL-17 levels (<i>p</i> = 0.002) and between acetate and TNF-α (<i>p</i> = 0.040) as well as FIQ-R scores (<i>p</i> = 0.028), while significantly positive correlations were observed between Kyn/Trp and IL-17 (<i>p</i> = 0.027) as well as IFN-γ (<i>p</i> = 0.003). <b>Conclusions</b>: Our preliminary data suggest that the vitamin D status along with altered gut microbiota metabolism plays a major role in FM-related inflammatory pain. Replication of these findings in a larger cohort is required to provide additional insights. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj-art-4cd01a2271e149449ed0a320850246fb2025-01-24T13:24:09ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-01-0113113910.3390/biomedicines13010139Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory PainCaterina Saija0Maria Paola Bertuccio1Alberto Scoglio2Vincenzo Macaione3Francesco Cacciola4Giuseppe Micalizzi5Daniela Caccamo6Carolina Muscoli7Monica Currò8Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyMessina Institute of Technology, Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, Former Veterinary School, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, ItalyMessina Institute of Technology, Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, Former Veterinary School, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health (IRC-FSH), University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Several studies suggest gut microbiota metabolites as important immuno-modulators in inflammatory pain. We aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and gut dysbiosis markers in fibromyalgia (FM)-associated chronic inflammation. <b>Methods</b>: Blood samples were collected from sixty-eight female FM patients (49.9 ± 12.35 years). Pain intensity was assessed by FIQ-R. The serum levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-γ, as well as those of vitamin D (25(OH)D3) and the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp) were determined by ELISA and HPLC, respectively. The plasma levels of the SCFAs acetate, butyrate, and propionate were detected by GC-MS. <b>Results</b>: A mean FIQ-R score indicated that the patients could be classified as having moderate FM. The mean levels of all cytokines, but IL-6 and IL-1β, were higher than the normal reference values. The highest concentrations of cytokines were observed in patients showing the highest FIQ-R scores and the lowest 25(OH)D3 levels. Deficient levels of acetate were found paralleled by an increase in Kyn/Trp. The highest acetate concentrations were detected in patients with the lowest FIQ-R scores and 25(OH)D3 levels. Significantly negative correlations were found between 25(OH)D3 concentrations and FIQ-R scores (<i>p</i> = 0.007) as well as IL-17 levels (<i>p</i> = 0.002) and between acetate and TNF-α (<i>p</i> = 0.040) as well as FIQ-R scores (<i>p</i> = 0.028), while significantly positive correlations were observed between Kyn/Trp and IL-17 (<i>p</i> = 0.027) as well as IFN-γ (<i>p</i> = 0.003). <b>Conclusions</b>: Our preliminary data suggest that the vitamin D status along with altered gut microbiota metabolism plays a major role in FM-related inflammatory pain. Replication of these findings in a larger cohort is required to provide additional insights.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/139fibromyalgiachronic inflammatory paingut dysbiosisgut microbiota metabolitesvitamin Dpro-inflammatory cytokines |
| spellingShingle | Caterina Saija Maria Paola Bertuccio Alberto Scoglio Vincenzo Macaione Francesco Cacciola Giuseppe Micalizzi Daniela Caccamo Carolina Muscoli Monica Currò Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory Pain Biomedicines fibromyalgia chronic inflammatory pain gut dysbiosis gut microbiota metabolites vitamin D pro-inflammatory cytokines |
| title | Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory Pain |
| title_full | Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory Pain |
| title_fullStr | Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory Pain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory Pain |
| title_short | Role of Vitamin D Status and Alterations in Gut Microbiota Metabolism in Fibromyalgia-Associated Chronic Inflammatory Pain |
| title_sort | role of vitamin d status and alterations in gut microbiota metabolism in fibromyalgia associated chronic inflammatory pain |
| topic | fibromyalgia chronic inflammatory pain gut dysbiosis gut microbiota metabolites vitamin D pro-inflammatory cytokines |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/139 |
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