PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Objectives: This study aims to assess the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the corneal epithelial layer of keratoconus patients. Methods: DNA was extracted from corneal epithelial samples procured from ten individual keratoconus eyes and three healthy controls. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed to detect ocular microbiota using an agnostic approach. Results: Metagenomic sequencing revealed a low microbial read count in corneal epithelial samples derived from both keratoconus eyes (average: 530) and controls (average: 622) without a statistically significant difference (p = 0.29). Proteobacteria were the predominant phylum in both keratoconus and control samples (relative abundance: 72% versus 79%, respectively). Conclusions: The overall low microbial read count and the lack of difference in the relative abundance of different microbial species between keratoconus and control samples do not support the hypothesis that a chronic corneal infection is implicated in the pathogenesis of keratoconus. These findings do not rule out the possibility that an acute infection may be involved in the disease process as an initiating event.
摘要：
目的：本研究旨在评估圆锥角膜患者角膜上皮层中病原微生物的存在。方法：从十只圆锥角膜和三个健康对照的角膜上皮样品中提取DNA。使用不可知方法进行宏基因组下一代测序(mNGS)以检测眼部微生物群。结果:宏基因组测序显示,在来自圆锥角膜眼(平均:530)和对照(平均:622)的角膜上皮样品中,微生物读数计数较低,没有统计学显著差异(p=0.29)。变形菌是圆锥角膜和对照样品中的主要门（相对丰度：72％对79％，分别)。结论:圆锥角膜和对照样品之间的总体低微生物读数计数和不同微生物种类的相对丰度的差异不支持慢性角膜感染与圆锥角膜的发病机理有关的假设。这些发现并不排除急性感染可能作为起始事件参与疾病过程的可能性。
