I am excited to share that Junho’s latest research has been published in NPJ Genomic Medicine on October 29, 2024. Congratulations!
This study was conducted in collaboration with Professors Chang Kyun Lee, Shin Ju Oh, and Hyo Jong Kim from Center for Crohn's and Colitis, Kyung Hee University Hospital. It marks the third successful research project we have published together.
In this study, we examined the genetic variations and gut microbiota composition of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, focusing on their potential role in comorbid mental disorders. By analyzing a cohort of 507 IBD patients and 75 healthy controls, we identified microbial and genetic signatures that may contribute to the increased risk of mental health conditions in IBD patients.
This research highlights the intricate interactions between the human genome, gut microbiota, and mental health, offering new insights into how genetic predispositions and microbial imbalances influence disease progression and comorbid conditions.
Big thanks to everyone who contributed to the long-term efforts that made this study possible.
Abstract:
Title: Gut microbial and human genetic signatures of inflammatory bowel disease increase risk of comorbid mental disorders
The high prevalence of comorbid mental disorders (CMDs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is well-documented. This study delves into the intricate CMD-IBD relationship through comprehensive analyses using human variants, gut microbiome, and anxiety/depression estimates from a cohort of 507 IBD patients and 75 controls. Notably, patients with IBD, especially those with CMD, exhibited lower diversity than controls. We identified 106 differentially abundant taxa (DATs) in IBD patients compared to controls and 21 DATs distinguishing CMD-affected from CMD-free IBD patients. Microbial IBD-risk scores, reflecting an individual's microbial burden for IBD, revealed a significant enrichment of IBD-risk signatures in CMD-affected patients compared to CMD-free patients. Additionally, there was an IBD-risk variant potentially regulating the abundance of an IBD/CMD-associated DAT, suggesting an interplay between IBD-risk variants and dysbiosis in CMD. Our investigation underscores the pivotal role of IBD-associated gut dysbiosis in predisposing IBD patients to CMD, partially through genetic variant-mediated mechanisms.