Objective To investigate the difference in fecal intestinal flora instructure and short chain fatty acids between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and healthy children, so as to provide new clues for the prevention and treatment of ASD from the perspective of intestinal flora. Methods A total of 25 ASD childrendiagnosed in the Department of Pediatrics, Afficiated Hospital of Jiangsu University were enrolled in the ASD group from January to November 2019. Meanwhile 24 healthy children with typical growth and development who took physical examination were selected as control group. Their feces samples were collected. 16SrRNA sequencing was used to analyze the structure of the intestinal microflora, and gas chromatography was used to detect the content of short-chain fatty acids in feces. Results Compared with the control group, ASD children had a significant decrease in the abundance (Chao index and Ace index) and diversity (Shannon index) of intestinal flora (t=2.917, 2.890, 3.353, P＜0.05), an increase in the abundance of Firmicutes and Proteus and a decrease in the abundance of Bacterioidetes at the phylum level(t=3.180, 5.761, 5.970, P＜0.05). At the genus level, ASD children had a significant decrease in the abundance of Bacterioides, Bifidobacterium, Blautia and Streptococcus, a significant increase in the abundance of Clostridium and Sutterella (Z=2.440, 3.100, 3.620, 3.500, 4.200, 4.054, P＜0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of acetic acid, propionic acid and total short chain fatty acids in ASD group were significantly increased, while the butyric acid was significantly decreased(t=3.040, 3.220, 2.560, 4.100, P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed Bifidobacterium was negatively correlated with propionic acid and total short chain fatty acids(r=－0.422,－0.412, P＜0.05). Conclusions There are significant changes in the structure of intestinal flora and the content of short chain fatty acids in feces of ASD children. The increase of the content of propionic acid and the total short chain fatty acids caused by the decrease of Bifidobacterium may be related to ASD.
Key words
autism spectrum disorder /
intestinal flora /
short chain fatty acids /
gas chromatography
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