What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to investigate the genetic relationship between gut microbiota and thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA).

February 21, 2026Open Access

Exploring Genetic Association Between Gut Microbiota and Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

SZS. ZhangTianjin Medical University General Hospital YSYaodong SunTianjin Medical University General Hospital YZYi ZhangTianjin Medical University General Hospital

Key Points

This research aims to investigate the genetic relationship between gut microbiota and thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA).
Utilized genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data on TAA, aortic diameter, and gut microbiota.
Conducted a Mendelian randomization analysis with various statistical methods, focusing on IVW as the main approach.
Performed sensitivity analyses and applied false discovery rate for multiple testing correction.
Visualized the network of MR associations using Python.
Identified nominal genetic associations between 21 gut microbiota and TAA.
Higher TAA risk linked to specific bacteria from Oxalobacteraceae family and unknown genera, while lower risk associated with different bacteria from XI family and Deltaproteobacteria class.
Nominal associations observed with ascending and descending aortic diameters linked to various bacterial genera and families, though no significant results after FDR correction.

Abstract

Observational studies suggest a link between gut microbiota and thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA), a blood vessel disease. However, whether this relationship reflects underlying genetic mechanisms remains unclear. GWAS data for TAA, aortic diameter and gut microbiota were obtained from public genome-wide association studies. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using methods including MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and Inverse variance weighted (IVW), with IVW serving as the main analytic approach. Sensitivity analyses included MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO, Cochran’s Q, and leave-one-out techniques, and the false discovery rate (FDR) was applied for multiple testing correction. Finally, network visualisation of MR associations was performed using Python. IVW analysis suggested a nominal genetic association between 21 gut microbiota and TAA. Higher TAA risk showed nominally associations with Family Oxalobacteraceae, Genus unknown genus, and Genus Oxalobacter. Lower TAA risk was nominally linked to Family XI, Class Melainabacteria, Class Deltaproteobacteria, Genus Family XIII UCG001, and Phylum Proteobacteria. Higher ascending aortic diameter (AAD) risk showed nominally associatitons with Genus Lachnospiraceae, Genus Lachnoclostridium, Genus Eggerthella, and Genus Tyzzerella3, while lower risk was nominally associated with Phylum Cyanobacteria, Genus Methanobrevibacter, Genus Lachnospiraceae, and Family Clostridiaceae1. Higher descending aortic diameter (DAD) risk showed nominally associations with Order Enterobacteriales, Family Enterobacteriaceae and Genus Eubacterium rectale, while lower risk was nominally linked to Genus Eubacterium ruminantium. However, none of these associations remained significant after FDR correction (p-FDR > 0.05). The visualised interaction network identified DAD with pro-inflammatory aggregation, AAD with a high degree of complexity and functional heterogeneity, and TAA with both risk and protective factors. Our findings suggest a nominal genetic association between gut microbiota and TAA, indicating exploratory evidence that may inform future research on microbiome-related mechanisms in thoracic aortic aneurysms.

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