Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis
IntroductionThe increasing prevalence of myopia worldwide poses significant public health concerns. Accumulating evidence suggests a potential link between ocular diseases and the gut microbiota (GM); however, whether the GM directly contributes to myopia development remains to be established.Method...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| author | Guodong Tang Yibo Han Xiaoqi Gong Xuejing Wang Jing Li Jun Zhang Junru Wang Jike Song Jike Song Hongsheng Bi Hongsheng Bi |
| author_facet | Guodong Tang Yibo Han Xiaoqi Gong Xuejing Wang Jing Li Jun Zhang Junru Wang Jike Song Jike Song Hongsheng Bi Hongsheng Bi |
| author_sort | Guodong Tang |
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| description | IntroductionThe increasing prevalence of myopia worldwide poses significant public health concerns. Accumulating evidence suggests a potential link between ocular diseases and the gut microbiota (GM); however, whether the GM directly contributes to myopia development remains to be established.MethodsThis study investigated the potential causal link between the GM and myopia through bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, further validated by experiments conducted on a form-deprivation myopia (FDM) guinea pig model. Bidirectional two-sample MR analysis was performed using genome-wide association study summary statistics comprising data on 196 GM taxa from the MiBioGen consortium and myopiaassociated data from the FinnGen database. Instrumental variables were carefully selected according to predetermined standards. Subsequently, MR estimates were calculated using the inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger regression, and weighted median approaches, along with supplementary sensitivity evaluations. Concurrently, FDM was experimentally induced in guinea pigs, and fecal samples were subjected to comprehensive full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis.ResultsMR analysis identified five bacterial taxa linked to the risk of myopia. Specifically, higher Bifidobacterium abundance was associated with lower myopia risk (odds ratio = 0.834, 95% confidence interval = 0.705–0.986, p < 0.05). Animal experiments validated the MR findings, demonstrating a significant enrichment of Bifidobacteria in control animals.DiscussionConclusively, supplementation with Bifidobacteria is a potential strategy for reducing the risk of myopia. Future research should focus on developing and testing Bifidobacterium-based interventions to validate their effectiveness in controlling myopia. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
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| series | Frontiers in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-dc2a4da4a9444e909afa8fe1848822a42025-08-20T03:36:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2025-08-011210.3389/fmed.2025.16341201634120Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysisGuodong Tang0Yibo Han1Xiaoqi Gong2Xuejing Wang3Jing Li4Jun Zhang5Junru Wang6Jike Song7Jike Song8Hongsheng Bi9Hongsheng Bi10Ophthalmology and Optometry Department, Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaMedical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaMedical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaOphthalmology and Optometry Department, Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaMedical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaMedical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaMedical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaMedical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaShandong Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, ChinaOphthalmology and Optometry Department, Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaShandong Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, ChinaIntroductionThe increasing prevalence of myopia worldwide poses significant public health concerns. Accumulating evidence suggests a potential link between ocular diseases and the gut microbiota (GM); however, whether the GM directly contributes to myopia development remains to be established.MethodsThis study investigated the potential causal link between the GM and myopia through bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, further validated by experiments conducted on a form-deprivation myopia (FDM) guinea pig model. Bidirectional two-sample MR analysis was performed using genome-wide association study summary statistics comprising data on 196 GM taxa from the MiBioGen consortium and myopiaassociated data from the FinnGen database. Instrumental variables were carefully selected according to predetermined standards. Subsequently, MR estimates were calculated using the inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger regression, and weighted median approaches, along with supplementary sensitivity evaluations. Concurrently, FDM was experimentally induced in guinea pigs, and fecal samples were subjected to comprehensive full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis.ResultsMR analysis identified five bacterial taxa linked to the risk of myopia. Specifically, higher Bifidobacterium abundance was associated with lower myopia risk (odds ratio = 0.834, 95% confidence interval = 0.705–0.986, p < 0.05). Animal experiments validated the MR findings, demonstrating a significant enrichment of Bifidobacteria in control animals.DiscussionConclusively, supplementation with Bifidobacteria is a potential strategy for reducing the risk of myopia. Future research should focus on developing and testing Bifidobacterium-based interventions to validate their effectiveness in controlling myopia.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1634120/fullmyopiagut microbiotaMendelian randomizationfull-length 16S rRNA gene sequencingBifidobacterium |
| spellingShingle | Guodong Tang Yibo Han Xiaoqi Gong Xuejing Wang Jing Li Jun Zhang Junru Wang Jike Song Jike Song Hongsheng Bi Hongsheng Bi Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis Frontiers in Medicine myopia gut microbiota Mendelian randomization full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing Bifidobacterium |
| title | Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis |
| title_full | Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis |
| title_fullStr | Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis |
| title_short | Potential protective role of Bifidobacteria in myopia prevention: evidence from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis |
| title_sort | potential protective role of bifidobacteria in myopia prevention evidence from full length 16s rrna sequencing and bidirectional mendelian randomization analysis |
| topic | myopia gut microbiota Mendelian randomization full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing Bifidobacterium |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1634120/full |
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