ArticleBMC endocrine disorders2025
Gut microbiota dysbiosis and short-chain fatty acid depletion in phlegm-dampness polycystic ovary syndrome: a cross-sectional 16S rRNA sequencing analysis.
Article in BMC endocrine disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Gut Dysbiosis in Selected Gynecological Diseases Associated with Female Infertility: A Scoping Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Investigating the causal relationship of lipid metabolism in polycystic ovary syndrome: a Mendelian randomization study on the regulatory role of 3-Hydroxybutyrate in gene expression.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
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6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and reproductive dysfunction. Accumulating evidence indicates that gut microbiota and their metabolites, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), contribute to PCOS pathogenesis. However, subtype-specific alterations, especially in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-defined phlegm-dampness PCOS, remain insufficiently explored.
objectiveThis study aimed to comprehensively compare gut microbial composition, SCFA concentrations, and their associations with anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical indicators in women with phlegm-dampness PCOS, non-phlegm-dampness PCOS, and healthy controls.
methodsIn this cross-sectional analysis, 54 women were recruited and stratified into phlegm-dampness PCOS (n = 17), non-phlegm-dampness PCOS (n = 18), and healthy control (n = 19) groups. Anthropometric measurements, reproductive and metabolic indices, and serum hormones were assessed. Fecal SCFAs were quantified via gas chromatography, and gut microbial profiles were characterized using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. Bioinformatic and statistical analyses included diversity indices, taxonomic abundance, principal component and clustering analyses, and correlation networks linking microbiota, SCFAs, and host phenotypes.
resultsPhlegm-dampness PCOS exhibited significantly reduced α-diversity compared with controls (p < 0.05) and distinct microbial profiles across multiple taxonomic levels. Key alterations included enrichment of Blautia wexlerae and depletion of Faecalibacterium and Alistipes. Fecal butyrate and propionate levels were markedly reduced in phlegm-dampness PCOS versus controls (p < 0.01). Correlation analyses revealed Blautia wexlerae was positively associated with BMI, waist circumference, hirsutism, and acanthosis nigricans, while Alistipes shahii correlated with serum testosterone and HOMA-IR. Distinct correlation networks highlighted microbiota-metabolite-host interactions specific to phlegm-dampness PCOS. Compared with healthy controls, the non-phlegm PCOS group (Group B) exhibited intermediate values for microbial diversity and SCFAs; however, most Group B vs. control differences were not significant after adjustment for BMI and age with FDR correction.
conclusionWomen with phlegm-dampness PCOS demonstrate more profound gut dysbiosis, SCFA depletion, and distinct microbiota-clinical correlations than non-phlegm-dampness PCOS and healthy controls. These findings underscore the biological relevance of TCM-based subtype stratification and suggest that precision microbiota-targeted interventions may enhance therapeutic outcomes in PCOS. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NA.
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