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Vitamin D metabolites and the gut microbiome in older men

Author

Listed:
  • Robert L. Thomas

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Lingjing Jiang

    (University of California San Diego)

  • John S. Adams

    (Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology at UCLA)

  • Zhenjiang Zech Xu

    (Nanchang University)

  • Jian Shen

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Stefan Janssen

    (Justus-Liebig-University)

  • Gail Ackermann

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Dirk Vanderschueren

    (KU Leuven
    University Hospitals Leuven)

  • Steven Pauwels

    (University Hospitals Leuven
    KU Leuven
    Jessa Hospital)

  • Rob Knight

    (University of California San Diego
    UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation
    University of California San Diego
    University of California San Diego)

  • Eric S. Orwoll

    (Bone and Mineral Unit, Oregon Health & Sciences University)

  • Deborah M. Kado

    (University of California San Diego
    University of California San Diego)

Abstract

The vitamin D receptor is highly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract where it transacts gene expression. With current limited understanding of the interactions between the gut microbiome and vitamin D, we conduct a cross-sectional analysis of 567 older men quantifying serum vitamin D metabolites using LC-MSMS and defining stool sub-Operational Taxonomic Units from16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing data. Faith’s Phylogenetic Diversity and non-redundant covariate analyses reveal that the serum 1,25(OH)2D level explains 5% of variance in α-diversity. In β-diversity analyses using unweighted UniFrac, 1,25(OH)2D is the strongest factor assessed, explaining 2% of variance. Random forest analyses identify 12 taxa, 11 in the phylum Firmicutes, eight of which are positively associated with either 1,25(OH)2D and/or the hormone-to-prohormone [1,25(OH)2D/25(OH)D] “activation ratio.” Men with higher levels of 1,25(OH)2D and higher activation ratios, but not 25(OH)D itself, are more likely to possess butyrate producing bacteria that are associated with better gut microbial health.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert L. Thomas & Lingjing Jiang & John S. Adams & Zhenjiang Zech Xu & Jian Shen & Stefan Janssen & Gail Ackermann & Dirk Vanderschueren & Steven Pauwels & Rob Knight & Eric S. Orwoll & Deborah M. Ka, 2020. "Vitamin D metabolites and the gut microbiome in older men," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-19793-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19793-8
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