Gut Virome Characteristics and Network Alterations in IgA Nephropathy

Introduction: Emerging evidence implicates gut microbiota dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), yet the contribution of the gut virome remains unexplored. This study aimed to characterize virome signatures and virus-microbiota interactions in IgAN. Methods: We performed a rigorously matched case-control study including 32 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN and 32 healthy controls. Fecal viral-like particles and bacterial communities were profiled using metagenomic sequencing and full-length 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing. Statistical analysis included diversity, differential abundance, network analysis, and correlation with clinical indices. Results: < 0.05). Conclusion: This study describes potential alterations in gut virome diversity, bacteriophage composition, bacteriome-virome relationships, and predicted functional profiles in IgAN, suggesting potential relevance of the gut virome to intestinal ecological alterations.