Causal Relationship Between Gut Microbiota, Blood Metabolites, and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: A Two-Step, Two-Sample Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Some studies have shown that gut microbiota may be associated with intervertebral disc degeneration. However, the causal effects between gut microbiota and IVDD and whether blood metabolites act as a mediator remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and intervertebral disc herniation, with a focus on the potential mediating role of blood metabolites.

Methods

Gut microbiota, blood metabolites, and IVDD data were identified from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data. Then we used Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate the causal relationships between gut microbiota, blood metabolites, and intervertebral disc degeneration, using the inverse variance-weighted method

SUBMITTER: Zheng YP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12120259 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature