Gut microbiota and plasma metabolites associated with diabetes in women with, or at high risk for, HIV infection

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiota alteration has been implicated in HIV infection and metabolic disorders. The relationship between gut microbiota and diabetes has rarely been studied in HIV-infected individuals, who have excess risk of metabolic disorders. METHODS: Our study during 2015-2016 enrolled predominantly African Americans and Hispanics in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. We studied 28 women with long-standing HIV infection under antiretroviral therapy and 20 HIV-uninfected, but at high risk of infection, women (16 HIV+ and 6 HIV- with diabetes). Fecal samples were analyzed by sequencing prokaryotic16S rRNA gene. Plasma metabolomics profiling was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. FINDINGS: > 0.05). Anaerococcus, known to produce butyrate which is involved in anti-inflammation and glucose metabolism, showed an inverse correlation with kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (r = -0.38, P < .01). INTERPRETATION: Among women with or at high risk for HIV infection, diabetes is associated with gut microbiota and plasma metabolite alteration, including depletion of butyrate-producing bacterial population along with higher tryptophan catabolism. FUND: NHLBI (K01HL129892, R01HL140976) and FMF.