Work

Effect of the gut microbiota on frozen shoulder and potential mediating role of inflammatory cytokines: A Mendelian randomization study and mediation analysis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Frozen shoulder (FS), characterized by chronic inflammation and joint fibrosis, remains etiologically unclear. Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota may modulate systemic inflammation via the "gut-joint axis," yet causal links to FS are unverified. This study aimed to investigate GM-FS causality using Mendelian randomization and explore inflammatory cytokines as potential mediators. This study was conducted using genome-wide association study data from MiBioGen and IEU. Six cytokines were included in the mediation analysis. Inverse variance weighted served as the primary method, supplemented by weighted median and MR-Egger, with sensitivity analyses to ensure robustness. Among 119 bacterial genera, Butyrivibrio (OR = 0.922), Lachnospiraceae UCG004 (OR = 0.897), Lactobacillus (OR = 0.843), Parabacteroides (OR = 0.790), and Ruminococcaceae UCG003 (OR = 0.836) are protective against FS, while Eubacterium coprostanoligenes (OR = 1.172) is a risk factor (all P < .05). Mediation analysis revealed interferon -γ partially mediated the protective effect of Lactobacillus on FS (β = 0.170, P = .011). These findings advance the "gut-joint axis" theory and suggest novel therapeutic targets for FS, deserving further experimental validation.

Source: Medicine

DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000044595

Authors: Zhiyun Feng, Xiule Fang, Tao Ding

Institutions: Wuxi People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University

Language: English

Topic: Gut microbiota and health

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,950