Biodiversity of colon microbiota in residents of Arkhangelsk

Relevance. The colon microbiota represents the richest human biotope in its biodiversity. The region of residence, particularly the Arctic zone, takes part in its formation. Currently, there are few studies examining the nature of the intestinal microbiota in individuals exposed to severe climatic conditions in northern regions.
Aim. To study the biodiversity of the colon microbiota in permanent and temporary residents of one of the Arctic regions (the city of Arkhangelsk).
Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 participants. A PCR study tested feces from 45 permanent and 45 temporary residents, with the reasearch of 33 indicators of microbial composition. The sample included young people from 18 to 45 years old, BMI within normal limits, without acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Data presented in the form of quantitative data (lg CFU/g) and categorical (not detected, normal, less and more than normal). Statistical analysis included the use of Pearson and Mann-Whitney chi-square tests.
Results. Study showed common features among all residents of this region – a deficiency of obligate representatives of microflora: lactobacilli, enterococci, a reduced number of bifidobacteria, and functional Escherichia coli. Also, temporary residents had a higher number of B. thethaiotaomicron (p=0.005), Ruminococcus spp. (p = 0.01), F. nucleatum (p = 0.039), F.prausnitzii (p = 0.029), A.rectalis (p=0.042), Bacteroides spp. (p = 0.048), below A.municiphila (p = 0.057), Enterococcus spp. were more often detected (p = 0.008). Moreover, the results are comparable with data from residents of Irkutsk, St. Petersburg and Canadian Inuit, which indicates a tendency towards a decrease in obligate representatives of the microbiota among residents of the northern regions and an increase in opportunistic flora.
Conclusions. The results of the study demonstrate differences in the microbial composition of the colon in permanent and temporary residents of the city of Arkhangelsk, which belongs to the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. Additional study of the diet of the subjects will allow us to analyze the hypothesis about the geographical features of this region and the impact of factors on the number of obligate representatives of microflora: lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, E. coli, enterococci.

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