Microbiota markers level in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis and radiologically isolated syndrome

According to numerous studies, gut microbiota plays a significant role in multiple sclerosis (MS) development. However, data on changes in the gut microbiota in MS is often contradictory. The most common approach in gut microbiota research is the 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing of fecal microbiota. However, such data do not reflect the composition of the entire body microbiota. There is also a lack of data on microbiota markers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with MS and predisposing conditions. Objective : to assess the level of microbial markers in the CSF of patients with MS and radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS). Patients and methods . We used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to evaluate microbial markers levels in eight patients with MS, five patients with RIS, and seven controls. Results and discussion . We found an increase in microbial load in patients with MS, indicating a possible association of MS with polymicrobial infection. In particular, an increase in the content of Streptococcus markers was observed, as well as a tendency to a three-fold increase in the campesterol content (a marker of campesterol-producing microfungi) in the CSF of patients with MS, compared to the control group (diagnostic punctures, various diseases of the nervous system of a non-autoimmune or inflammatory nature, not acute states). Conclusion . GC-MS of microbial markers can be used to assess the presence of microbial markers in the CSF. The CSF of patients with MS contains an increased amount of various microbial markers, which may indicate a possible association of MS with polymicrobial infection.