Metatranscriptomic analysis reveals gut microbiome bacterial genes in pyruvate and amino acid metabolism associated with hyperuricemia and gout in humans

Several pathologies with metabolic origin, such as hyperuricemia and gout, have been associated with the gut microbiota taxonomic profile. However, there is no evidence of which bacterial genes are being expressed in the gut microbiome, and of their potential effects on hyperuricemia and gout. We sequenced the RNA of 26 fecal samples from 10 healthy normouricemic controls, 10 with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH), and six gout patients. The coding sequences were mapped to KEGG orthologues (KO). We compared the expression levels using generalized linear models and validated the expression of four KO in a larger sample by qRT-PCR. A distinct genetic expression pattern was identified among groups. AH individuals and gout patients showed an over-expression of KOs mainly related to pyruvate metabolism (Log2foldchange > 23, p-adj ≤ 3.56 × 10<sup>- 9</sup>), the pentose pathway (Log2foldchange > 24, p-adj < 1.10 × 10<sup>-12</sup>) and purine metabolism (Log2foldchange > 22, p-adj < 1.25 × 10<sup>- 7</sup>). AH subjects had lower expression of KO related to glycine metabolism (Log2foldchange=-18, p-adj < 1.72 × 10<sup>-6</sup>) than controls. Gout patients had lower expression (Log2foldchange=-22.42, p-adj < 3.31 × 10<sup>- 16</sup>) of a KO involved in phenylalanine biosynthesis, in comparison to controls and AH subjects. The over-expression seen for the KO related to pyruvate metabolism and the pentose pathway in gout patients´ microbiome was validated. There is a differential gene expression pattern in the gut microbiome of normouricemic individuals, AH subjects and gout patients. These differences are mainly located in metabolic pathways involved in acetate precursors and bioavailability of amino acids.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Scientific Reports
Published
2025-03-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93899-1
Citations
6
Primary Topic
Gout, Hyperuricemia, Uric Acid
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
8.58

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Metatranscriptomic analysis reveals gut microbiome bacterial genes in pyruvate and amino acid metabolism associated with hyperuricemia and gout in humans

Carlos Martínez-Armenta, Dafne Lissete Guido-Gómora, Janitzia Vázquez‐Mellado, Yessica Zamudio‐Cuevas et al.
6 citations
Scientific Reports
Gout, Hyperuricemia, Uric Acid
8.58
article

Metatranscriptomic analysis reveals gut microbiome bacterial genes in pyruvate and amino acid metabolism associated with hyperuricemia and gout in humans

Carlos Martínez-Armenta, Dafne Lissete Guido-Gómora, Janitzia Vázquez‐Mellado, Yessica Zamudio‐Cuevas, Alfredo Lagunas-Martínez, Mireya Martínez-García, Alberto López-Reyes, María del Carmen Camacho-Rea, Carlos Suárez-Ahedo, Ana I. Burguete-García, Carlos Alberto Lozada-Pérez, Javier Fernández‐Torres, Laura E. Martínez-Gómez, Karina Martínez‐Flores, Eder Orlando Méndez-Salazar, Berenice Palacios‐González, Brígida Herrera-López, Luis Manuel Amezcua-Guerra, Guadalupe Obdulia Gutiérrez-Esparza, Joaquı́n Dopazo, Yaneth Citlalli Orbe-Orihuela, Adriana Francisco-Balderas, Carlos S. Casimiro‐Soriguer, Gabriela Angélica Martínez‐Nava, Efren Altamirano-Molina, Sarahí Valle-Gutiérrez, Carlos Pineda
article en
6 citations

Abstract

Several pathologies with metabolic origin, such as hyperuricemia and gout, have been associated with the gut microbiota taxonomic profile. However, there is no evidence of which bacterial genes are being expressed in the gut microbiome, and of their potential effects on hyperuricemia and gout. We sequenced the RNA of 26 fecal samples from 10 healthy normouricemic controls, 10 with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH), and six gout patients. The coding sequences were mapped to KEGG orthologues (KO). We compared the expression levels using generalized linear models and validated the expression of four KO in a larger sample by qRT-PCR. A distinct genetic expression pattern was identified among groups. AH individuals and gout patients showed an over-expression of KOs mainly related to pyruvate metabolism (Log2foldchange > 23, p-adj ≤ 3.56 × 10<sup>- 9</sup>), the pentose pathway (Log2foldchange > 24, p-adj < 1.10 × 10<sup>-12</sup>) and purine metabolism (Log2foldchange > 22, p-adj < 1.25 × 10<sup>- 7</sup>). AH subjects had lower expression of KO related to glycine metabolism (Log2foldchange=-18, p-adj < 1.72 × 10<sup>-6</sup>) than controls. Gout patients had lower expression (Log2foldchange=-22.42, p-adj < 3.31 × 10<sup>- 16</sup>) of a KO involved in phenylalanine biosynthesis, in comparison to controls and AH subjects. The over-expression seen for the KO related to pyruvate metabolism and the pentose pathway in gout patients´ microbiome was validated. There is a differential gene expression pattern in the gut microbiome of normouricemic individuals, AH subjects and gout patients. These differences are mainly located in metabolic pathways involved in acetate precursors and bioavailability of amino acids.

Scientific ReportsVol. 15(1)
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (MX), Hospital General de México (MX), Fundación Progreso y Salud (ES), Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (MX), Hospital Médica Sur (MX), National Institute of Genomic Medicine (MX), Hospital General De Zona (MX), Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación (MX), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (MX), Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (ES), Instituto Nacional de Cardiología (MX), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX), Université de Montréal (CA)
Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Gout, Hyperuricemia, Uric Acid
8.58
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.