Analysis of gut microbiota in patients with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL)

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a major hereditary small vessel disease caused by mutations in NOTCH3. The variations in progression and severity among patients suggest that the CADASIL phenotype is modified by some genetic and environmental factors. Recent studies have shown the potential roles of gut microbiota in human diseases. We hypothesized that gut microbiota modifies the disease phenotype. We performed gut microbial meta 16S rRNA analysis of fecal samples from 15 CADASIL patients and 16 controls. The microbial α- and β-diversities and taxonomy were compared between CADASIL patients and controls and between CADASIL patients with and without an ischemic stroke history. No significant difference in α- or β-diversity was observed in either case-control or subgroup comparisons. In the taxonomic microbial analysis, there was a significant increase in abundance of 6 genera and significant decrease in 2 genera in CADASIL patients compared with controls. There was a significant decrease in abundance of 2 genera in CADASIL patients with compared with those without stroke. This is the first study on CADASIL focusing on gut microbiota. Our findings suggest that gut microbiota modifies the onset and progression of CADASIL.