Governor Vessel Moxibustion Therapy Improves Microbiota Structure in Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients

BACKGROUND: Clinical studies have shown that ankylosing spondylitis (AS) could be significantly improved by Governor Vessel moxibustion (GVM) therapy. OBJECTIVE: Study whether GVM therapy alleviates the clinical symptoms of AS by modulating intestinal microbiota. METHODS: A total of 9 AS patients and 9 paired healthy individuals were enrolled, and GVM therapy was provided to the AS patients. Stool, urine, and saliva samples from the healthy individuals and the AS patients before and after GVM therapy were collected, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed for microbiota analysis. RESULTS: We found that GVM therapy can significantly alleviate the symptoms of AS, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. GVM therapy also decreased the abundances of Bacteroides and Prevotella while increasing the abundances of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, in the gut microbiota of the AS patients. The analyses for AS clinical data and microbial abundances in AS patients revealed their multiple significant correlations (P < 0.01); for example, an unclassified crystal was positively correlated with AF12 and Delftia, monocyte had a negative correlation with Scardovia, and human leukocyte antigen-B27 was negatively correlated with Catenibacterium, Coprococcus, and Oscillospira. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings demonstrate that GVM therapy can alleviate AS clinical symptoms, and at the same time, it improves the microbial structure of microbiota in AS patients. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100051907.