Characterization of the distal gut microbiota in obese patients following a weight-loss intervention using whole metagenome shotgun sequencing. human gut metagenome

To gain more insight into the interconnection between microbiota, obesity and diet, we analyzed the metagenome of 16 patients following a weight-loss program based on a very low calorie inulin-enriched formula diet. In this longitudinal study we used shotgun sequencing of stool DNA to look at taxonomic and functional changes at different phases of the program. In 2 years we sequenced fecal samples at six time points, the baseline (before intervention, = T0), after diet intervention, (3 months later: T3), after reintroduction phase (T6), and three time points at the maintenance phase i.e. month 12 (T12), month 18 (T18) and month 24 (T24). In parallel, clinical parameters were monitored in order to establish potential relationships between microbiota and obesity-associated-disease particularly hypertension, insulin resistance, fatty liver and the metabolic syndrome. Moreover we analyzed the marker potential of microbial parameters for weight loss maintenance success.

为深入解析微生物群（microbiota）、肥胖与膳食三者间的相互关联，本研究对16名接受基于菊糖富集低热量配方膳食的减重方案的患者开展宏基因组（metagenome）分析。本项纵向研究采用粪便DNA鸟枪测序法（shotgun sequencing），以观测该减重方案不同阶段的分类学与功能学特征变化。研究周期为2年，共在6个时间点采集粪便样本进行测序：干预前的基线期（记为T0）、膳食干预后3个月（记为T3）、复食阶段结束后（记为T6），以及维持阶段的3个时间点，即第12个月（T12）、第18个月（T18）与第24个月（T24）。与此同时，本研究同步监测临床参数，以明确微生物群与肥胖相关性疾病——尤其是高血压、胰岛素抵抗、脂肪肝及代谢综合征（metabolic syndrome）——之间的潜在关联。此外，本研究还分析了微生物参数作为减重维持成功标志物的潜在应用价值。