Researchers from Leuven and Brussels have succeeded in identifying intestinal bacteria that may predict the course of the nerve disease multiple sclerosis (MS). The Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) announced this today.
Multiple sclerosis is a nerve disease whose exact cause is still unknown. Patients develop inflammation that causes damage to their nerve pathways and their coverings. This can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty walking, spasticity, poorer vision and more. An estimated 13,500 people live with MS in Belgium, and there are approximately 400 new diagnoses every year.
The course of the disease varies greatly from patient to patient. Predicting the long-term effect of the disease therefore remains a challenge. The methods currently available, such as MRI scans, can only make a limited prediction. Researchers have therefore been looking for ways to improve forecasts for some time.
Disrupted microbiome
It had been clear from previous research for some time that there was a link between MS and a disturbed microbiome, the totality of bacteria and other micro-organisms in our body. However, those studies only focused on one moment in time. The new study followed MS patients for a long time in order to be able to draw conclusions for the longer term.
The research team, with scientists from the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, the Department of Neurology of VUB/UZ Brussels and the national MS Center in Melsbroek, followed 111 MS patients for an average of 4.4 years. During that time, the team collected stool samples at regular intervals and performed neurological tests, such as walking tests and dexterity tests. This allowed the researchers to determine whether the symptoms of the disease remained stable or worsened.
At the end of the study, 41 percent of patients showed significantly worsened symptoms. The ‘Bacteroiden 2 enterotype’ (Bact2) was found in the stool samples of 43.6 percent of the patients in that group. This is a specific composition of intestinal bacteria that is an indication of a disturbed microbiome. In the group of MS patients whose symptoms remained stable, Bact2 was only found in 16.1 percent.
The design of the study could not determine whether there is a causal relationship and whether the presence of Bact2 is actually a cause for a worsening of MS symptoms. So far it has only been proven that the two often occur together.
“Promising results”
Because the presence of Bact2 in the patients remained relatively stable over the years, the intestinal bacteria can help predict how the nerve disease will evolve. “That makes the results very promising, although they still need to be validated in a larger group,” says Professor Jeroen Raes (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology).
“The implications of this research are extremely important,” says Professor Marie D’Hooghe (VUB/UZ Brussels). “We now have new insights into complex relationships between the immune system, the gut microbiome and the central nervous system. If we know in advance which patients’ symptoms will worsen over the years, we can adapt our treatment accordingly at an early stage.”
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2023-10-18 23:22:08
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