Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)

Abstract Background This study aims to examine the potential link between incomplete immune reconstitution following ART treatment and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Methods We collected clinical data and fecal samples from 50 HIV patients undergoing ART and 30 untreated patients. Based on the observed i...

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Main Authors: Yuru Shi, Miaomiao Hu, Jing Wu, Ting Liu, Yingjie Qi, Ang Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Infectious Diseases
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10995-3
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author Yuru Shi
Miaomiao Hu
Jing Wu
Ting Liu
Yingjie Qi
Ang Li
author_facet Yuru Shi
Miaomiao Hu
Jing Wu
Ting Liu
Yingjie Qi
Ang Li
author_sort Yuru Shi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background This study aims to examine the potential link between incomplete immune reconstitution following ART treatment and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Methods We collected clinical data and fecal samples from 50 HIV patients undergoing ART and 30 untreated patients. Based on the observed immune function reconstruction, we further categorized the ART(+) group into a responder group (n = 30) and a non-responder group (n = 20). The gut microbiota composition differences were assessed using Alpha diversity and Beta diversity analysis, while differential genera were identified through linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). Subsequently, functional disparities in the gut microbiota were investigated using PICRUSt2 and metagenomeSeq software. Results The results of Alpha diversity and Beta diversity revealed significant differences in the composition of gut microbiota among the three groups. Differential genus analysis identified Morganella as an exclusive genus present only in the Non-responder group, exhibiting a significantly higher relative abundance. Correlation analysis demonstrated a positive association between Morganella and LDL levels. The CAZY analysis revealed that glycosyltransferase 25 (GT25) was significantly expressed in the Non-responder group, whereas it was either undetectable or exhibited extremely low expression levels in both the Responder group and the ART(-) group. Importantly, the correlation analysis indicated a positive association between Morganella and GT25 secretion. Conclusions The ecological imbalance of Morganella might be associated with incomplete immune reconstitution following ART, potentially mediated by GT25 secretions. Consequently, Morganella could serve as a promising biomarker for predicting incomplete immune reconstitution in AIDS patients undergoing ART.
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spelling doaj-art-64d8a76aa9ef46e3af961c60a7de0d032025-08-20T03:09:35ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342025-05-0125111210.1186/s12879-025-10995-3Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)Yuru Shi0Miaomiao Hu1Jing Wu2Ting Liu3Yingjie Qi4Ang Li5Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei Infectious Disease Hospital)Key Laboratory of Digital Technology in Medical Diagnostics of Zhejiang Province, Dian Diagnostics Group Co., LtdDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei Infectious Disease Hospital)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei Infectious Disease Hospital)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei Infectious Disease Hospital)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract Background This study aims to examine the potential link between incomplete immune reconstitution following ART treatment and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Methods We collected clinical data and fecal samples from 50 HIV patients undergoing ART and 30 untreated patients. Based on the observed immune function reconstruction, we further categorized the ART(+) group into a responder group (n = 30) and a non-responder group (n = 20). The gut microbiota composition differences were assessed using Alpha diversity and Beta diversity analysis, while differential genera were identified through linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). Subsequently, functional disparities in the gut microbiota were investigated using PICRUSt2 and metagenomeSeq software. Results The results of Alpha diversity and Beta diversity revealed significant differences in the composition of gut microbiota among the three groups. Differential genus analysis identified Morganella as an exclusive genus present only in the Non-responder group, exhibiting a significantly higher relative abundance. Correlation analysis demonstrated a positive association between Morganella and LDL levels. The CAZY analysis revealed that glycosyltransferase 25 (GT25) was significantly expressed in the Non-responder group, whereas it was either undetectable or exhibited extremely low expression levels in both the Responder group and the ART(-) group. Importantly, the correlation analysis indicated a positive association between Morganella and GT25 secretion. Conclusions The ecological imbalance of Morganella might be associated with incomplete immune reconstitution following ART, potentially mediated by GT25 secretions. Consequently, Morganella could serve as a promising biomarker for predicting incomplete immune reconstitution in AIDS patients undergoing ART.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10995-3Human immunodeficiency virusAntiretroviral therapyGut microbiotaImmunological non-responder16S rRNA
spellingShingle Yuru Shi
Miaomiao Hu
Jing Wu
Ting Liu
Yingjie Qi
Ang Li
Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)
BMC Infectious Diseases
Human immunodeficiency virus
Antiretroviral therapy
Gut microbiota
Immunological non-responder
16S rRNA
title Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)
title_full Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)
title_fullStr Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)
title_full_unstemmed Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)
title_short Association between gut microbiota in HIV-infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy (ART)
title_sort association between gut microbiota in hiv infected patients and immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy art
topic Human immunodeficiency virus
Antiretroviral therapy
Gut microbiota
Immunological non-responder
16S rRNA
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10995-3
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