Two Blautia Species Associated with Visceral Fat Accumulation: A One-Year Longitudinal Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Intestinal microflora has been associated with obesity. While cardiovascular disorders are more strongly associated with visceral fat than the body mass index (BMI), the link between visceral fat area (VFA) and intestinal microflora has been little studied. In this study, we investigated the association between intestinal microflora and VFA and BMI using a longitudinal study (N = 767). We found that the intestinal microflora composition is significantly associated with VFA or BMI; however, the associated gut microbes differ. Furthermore, two gut species—Blautia hansenii and Blautia producta—were significantly and negatively associated with VFA accumulation. ABSTRACT: Intestinal microflora has been associated with obesity. While visceral fat is more strongly associated with cardiovascular disorder, a complication linked to obesity, than the body mass index (BMI), the association between intestinal microflora and obesity (as defined in terms of BMI) has been studied widely. However, the link between visceral fat area (VFA) and intestinal microflora has been little studied. In this study, we investigate the association between intestinal microflora and VFA and BMI using a longitudinal study on Japanese subjects with different VFA statuses (N = 767). Principal component analysis of the changes in intestinal microflora composition over the one-year study period revealed the different associations between intestinal microflora and VFA and BMI. As determined by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, changes in the abundance ratio of two microbial genera—Blautia and Flavonifractor—were significantly associated with VFA changes and changes in the abundance ratio of four different microbial genera were significantly associated with BMI changes, suggesting that the associated intestinal microbes are different. Furthermore, as determined by metagenomic shotgun sequences, changes in the abundance ratios of two Blautia species—Blautia hansenii and Blautia producta—were significantly and negatively associated with VFA changes. Our findings might be used to develop a new treatment for visceral fat.