Metformin modifies plasma microbial-derived extracellular vesicles in polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance

From BugSigDB
Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by KateRasheed on 2025-6-11
Citation
PMID PubMed identifier for scientific articles.
DOI Digital object identifier for electronic documents.
URI Uniform resource identifier for web resources.
Authors
Hu L, Hong G, Li J, Chen M, Chang CJ, Cheng PJ, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Chen H, Zhuang Y, Li Y
Journal
Journal of ovarian research
Year
2024
Keywords:
EVs, Full-length 16S rRNA, Metformin, Microbial community, PCOS, PCOS-IR
INTRODUCTION: This study investigated changes in plasma microbial-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance (PCOS-IR) before and after metformin treatment, and aimed to identify bacterial taxa within EVs that were biologically and statistically significant for diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: The case-control study was conducted at Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Hua Qiao University. Plasma samples were collected from five PCOS-IR patients of childbearing age before and after 3 months of metformin treatment, and the samples were sequenced. The diversity and taxonomic composition of different microbial communities were analyzed through full-length 16 S glycosomal RNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: After metformin treatment, fasting plasma glucose levels and IR degree of PCOS-IR patients were significantly improved. The 16 S analysis of plasma EVs from metformin-treated patients showed higher microbial diversity. There were significant differences in EVs derived from some environmental bacteria before and after metformin treatment. Notably, Streptococcus salivarius was more abundant in the metformin-treated group, suggesting it may be a potential probiotic. DISCUSSION: The study demonstrated changes in the microbial composition of plasma EVs before and after metformin treatment. The findings may offer new insights into the pathogenesis of PCOS-IR and provide new avenues for research.

Experiment 1


Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by KateRasheed on 2025-6-11

Curated date: 2025/04/18

Curator: ShadeAkinremi

Revision editor(s): ShadeAkinremi, Victoria

Subjects

Location of subjects
China
Host species Species from which microbiome was sampled. Contact us to have more species added.
Homo sapiens
Body site Anatomical site where microbial samples were extracted from according to the Uber Anatomy Ontology
Blood plasma Blood plasm,Plasma,Portion of blood plasma,Portion of plasma,Blood plasma,blood plasma
Condition The experimental condition / phenotype studied according to the Experimental Factor Ontology
Treatment outcome measurement Treatment outcome measurement,treatment outcome measurement
Group 0 name Corresponds to the control (unexposed) group for case-control studies
EBF (EVs extracted from patients before treatment) group
Group 1 name Corresponds to the case (exposed) group for case-control studies
EAF (EVs extracted from patients after treatment) group
Group 1 definition Diagnostic criteria applied to define the specific condition / phenotype represented in the case (exposed) group
Polycystic ovary syndrome- Insulin-resistant patients of childbearing age, whose plasma EVs(extracellular vesicles) were extracted after 3 months of metformin treatment.
Group 0 sample size Number of subjects in the control (unexposed) group
5
Group 1 sample size Number of subjects in the case (exposed) group
5
Antibiotics exclusion Number of days without antibiotics usage (if applicable) and other antibiotics-related criteria used to exclude participants (if any)
6 months

Lab analysis

Sequencing type
16S
16S variable region One or more hypervariable region(s) of the bacterial 16S gene
V1-V9
Sequencing platform Manufacturer and experimental platform used for quantifying microbial abundance
PacBio RS

Statistical Analysis

Data transformation Data transformation applied to microbial abundance measurements prior to differential abundance testing (if any).
relative abundances
Statistical test
LEfSe
Significance threshold p-value or FDR threshold used for differential abundance testing (if any)
0.05
MHT correction Have statistical tests be corrected for multiple hypothesis testing (MHT)?
No
LDA Score above Threshold for the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) score for studies using the popular LEfSe tool
2

Alpha Diversity

Simpson Estimator of species richness and species evenness: more weight on species evenness
decreased

Signature 1

Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by KateRasheed on 2025-6-11

Curated date: 2025/04/18

Curator: ShadeAkinremi

Revision editor(s): ShadeAkinremi, Victoria

Source: Figure 6B

Description: Analysis of microbial species diversity. Microbial cladogram (LEfSe).

Abundance in Group 1: increased abundance in EAF (EVs extracted from patients after treatment) group

NCBI Quality ControlLinks
Mesorhizobium
unclassified Mesorhizobium

Revision editor(s): ShadeAkinremi, Victoria

Signature 2

Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by KateRasheed on 2025-6-11

Curated date: 2025/04/19

Curator: ShadeAkinremi

Revision editor(s): ShadeAkinremi, Victoria

Source: Figure 6B

Description: Analysis of microbial species diversity. Microbial cladogram (LEfSe).

Abundance in Group 1: decreased abundance in EAF (EVs extracted from patients after treatment) group

NCBI Quality ControlLinks
Sphingobacterium hotanense

Revision editor(s): ShadeAkinremi, Victoria

Experiment 2


Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by KateRasheed on 2025-6-11

Curated date: 2025/06/10

Curator: Victoria

Revision editor(s): Victoria

Differences from previous experiment shown

Subjects

Lab analysis

Statistical Analysis

Statistical test
Mann-Whitney (Wilcoxon)

Alpha Diversity

Simpson Estimator of species richness and species evenness: more weight on species evenness
decreased

Signature 1

Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by KateRasheed on 2025-6-11

Curated date: 2025/06/10

Curator: Victoria

Revision editor(s): Victoria

Source: Figure 6C

Description: Analysis of microbial species diversity. Microbial cladogram (Wilcoxon rank-sum test).

Abundance in Group 1: increased abundance in EAF (EVs extracted from patients after treatment) group

NCBI Quality ControlLinks
unclassified Mesorhizobium

Revision editor(s): Victoria

Signature 2

Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by KateRasheed on 2025-6-11

Curated date: 2025/06/10

Curator: Victoria

Revision editor(s): Victoria

Source: Figure 6C

Description: Analysis of microbial species diversity. Microbial cladogram (Wilcoxon rank-sum test).

Abundance in Group 1: decreased abundance in EAF (EVs extracted from patients after treatment) group

NCBI Quality ControlLinks
Sphingobacterium hotanense

Revision editor(s): Victoria