The correlation analysis of macrogenomics-based gut microorganisms and thyroid hormones in papillary thyroid cancer

Background: The alterations in gut microbiota and thyroid hormone levels before and after surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), as well as the relationship between these changes, remain unclear. This study aims to provide direct evidence and a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between gut microbiota and fluctuations in thyroid hormone levels surrounding surgical intervention for papillary thyroid cancer through macrogenomic analysis.Methods: 20 patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma were enrolled in the study, and changes in fecal and thyroid hormone levels were collected both preoperatively and postoperatively. Initially, the gut microbiota of these 20 patients was analyzed for macrogenomic differences. Subsequently, the alterations in hormone levels were examined in conjunction with the gut microbiota following their collection.Results: There were significant differences in the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota in patients with papillary thyroid cancer before and after surgery. At the genus level, the five most significantly different groups identified were Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Megamonas, Alistipes, and Eubacterium. Notably, Megamonas and Eubacterium exhibited higher abundance in the FF group, whereas Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and Alistipes were more prevalent in the BF group. The primary differential pathways associated with these changes pertained to iron uptake and regulation, polysaccharide utilization and transport, as well as metabolism and stress response. The FF group was predominantly involved in ribosome biosynthesis along with amino acid synthesis for valine and leucine. In contrast, the BF group primarily engaged in lipoic acid metabolism, glycosaminoglycan degradation, and bacterial secretion systems.Conclusion: Findings indicate that gut microbiota composition, diversity, and functional profiles shift markedly in papillary thyroid cancer patients following surgery, with specific microbial taxa showing strong associations with thyroid hormone fluctuations. In the future, modulation of the gut microbiota may serve as an adjuvant therapeutic approach for hormone regulation in patients undergoing surgery for papillary thyroid cancer.