IBS microbiome
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study of intestinal microbial metagenomic, transcriptomic and proteomic patterns of patients with irritable bowel syndrome and their household controls
IRAS ID
191839
Contact name
Stephen Moss
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) a disorder manifesting with abdominal pain, bloating and alteration in bowel habit without identifiable cause may relate to alterations in gut microbiota.
Metagenomics is an increasingly useful tool for exploring the gut microbiota. It has advantages over traditional culture-based and 16s ribosomal PCR sequencing as it captures the entire genomic profile of the intestinal microbiome.
Transcriptomics is an analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA). This gives an indication of the pattern of gene expression within the microbiome, and might indicate which protein products are of relevance in individuals with IBS.
Proteomics is an analysis of the protein products expressed by the above (mRNA).
Prior studies demonstrate that the intestinal microbiome of patients with IBS differs from that of controls.
IBS is commonly treated by restricting fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) from the diet for a period of 3-6 weeks. Restriction of these food groups is speculated to reduce the activity and biomass of fermenting bacteria in the intestinal tract by starving them of their substrates. It has been previously demonstrated that a low FODMAP diet results in alterations in the faecal pH, concentration of short-chain fatty acids and bacterial abundance. A short study recently demonstrated changes in the microbiome in children with IBS who were on this diet showing a significant reduction in abdominal pain scores, and increases in certain bacteria known to be associated with a “healthy microbiome” (Bacteroides, Ruminococcaceae and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii).
The aim of the present study is to examine the gut microbiome by metagenomic and transcriptomic analysis in patients with IBS, compared to their household controls. Additionally, changes in these parameters that might follow the introduction of a low FODMAP diet will be examined and correlated with symptom response to help determine causal relationships. A comprehensive study using these novel techniques has not been previously reported.REC name
London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/2128
Date of REC Opinion
9 Dec 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion