Recent research is shedding light on the complex relationship between HIV, the gut microbiome, and long-term health outcomes, including inflammation, immune activation, and cancer risk. Two new studies highlight emerging trends and potential diagnostic breakthroughs in this evolving field.
Mapping Global Research Trends in HIV and the Gut Microbiome
A bibliometric study analyzed global research on the connection between HIV and the gut microbiome.
Interestingly, the study found that research is now shifting toward understanding short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), key gut microbial metabolites that may help regulate inflammation and immune responses. Another emerging topic is the role of obesity in altering microbiome composition and immune function in people living with HIV (PLWH).
Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in HIV-Positive Cancer Patients
A complementary study explored how gut microbiota changes in PLWH who develop cancer. The team analyzed stool samples from PLWH with cancer, PLWH without cancer, and HIV-negative individuals, using advanced 16S rRNA sequencing and computational modeling.
The results showed that PLWH with cancer showed significantly reduced gut microbial diversity compared to both non-cancer HIV-positive and HIV-negative controls. Among the microbial changes, Bacteroides and Bacteroides vulgatus were notably depleted in cancer patients. These bacteria were linked to several cancer-related metabolic pathways.
Furthermore, both Bacteroides and B. vulgatus demonstrated strong diagnostic potential, suggesting they could serve as microbiome-based biomarkers for cancer detection in PLWH.
