Intestinal flora structure mediated regulatory T cells in the effect and mechanism of postmenopausal osteoporosis by Metagenomic Sequencing

Objective: To investigate the function and mechanisms of gut flora structural changes mediating regulatory T cells after postmenopausal osteoporosis.Methods: From November 2022 to August 2023, 30 postmenopausal osteoporosis patients from the Spine Surgery Department and outpatient clinic of a local hospital, diagnosed by Dual - emission X - ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and related medical tests, were selected as the experimental group. Meanwhile, 30 postmenopausal non - osteoporosis patients from the physical examination department of the same local hospital, also diagnosed by DXA and related medical tests, were selected as the contrast group. Blood samples were collected for tests including beta - collagen special sequence assay (CROSSL), total type I collagen amino - terminal extended peptide assay (TP1NP), etc. Peripheral blood regulatory T cell CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+ cell (Treg) levels were detected by flow cytometry, and statistical analysis was done using SPSS 25.0. The correlation between chemical indicators and Treg cell levels was analyzed with Spearman's correlation coefficient. Fecal samples were collected and sequenced by high - throughput Metagenomics. We visualized gene, species and functional distributions, calculated diversities, performed clustering and PCA downscaling analyses. Wilcoxon, STAMP, LEfSe and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were used to distinguish group differences, and Spearman correlation coefficient was used for the correlation between intestinal flora function and Treg cell levels. A P - value < 0.05 was considered significant.