关键词: 孤独症谱系障碍, 肠道菌群, 叶酸, 维生素B12

Abstract: Objective To analyze the correlation of serum folate acid and vitamin B12 levels with gut microbiota in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method From January 2020 to February 2021, totally 79 ASD children aged 2 to 7 years and 79 sex- and age-matched neurotypical children in the outpatient department of Chongqing Maternal and Child Health Hospital were enrolled in this study. Serum folate acid and vitamin B12 levels were detected by Chemiluminescence method. The V3-V4 hypervariable regions of bacterial 16SrRNA gene in fecal samples were sequenced. Results Serum folate acid level of children in the ASD group was significantly lower than that of the healthy control group [33.55 (20.47, 39.73) nmol/L vs. 35.50 (27.80, 41.90) nmol/L] (Z=-2.114, P=0.035). Serum vitamin B12 level of children in the ASD group was significantly lower than that of the healthy control group [539.0 (422.50, 702.75) pmol/L vs. 632.0 (519.0, 859.0) pmol/L] (Z=-3.114, P=0.002). There was no difference in the Alpha diversity and Beta diversity of the gut microbiota between the ASD group and control group (P>0.05). In the genus level, ASD children had significantly increasing abundance of Sutterella and Desulfovibrio and decreasing abundance of Bifidobacterium and Rheinheimera compared with the control group (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that serum folate acid level was positively correlated with the abundance of Bifidobacterium (r=0.203) and Prevotella (r=0.179), and negatively correlated with Escherichia abundance (r=-0.223, P＜0.05). Serum vitamin B12 level was positively correlated with the abundance of Bifidobacterium (r=0.172, P=0.048). Conclusion Serum folate acid and vitamin B12 levels are lower in ASD children, which are correlated with the abundance of some gut microbiota.

Key words: autism spectrum disorder, gut microbiota, folic acid, vitamin B12