IL-13 mRNA tissue content identifies two subsets of adult ulcerative colitis patients with different clinical and mucosa-associated microbiota profiles

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A personalized approach to therapy has great promise to improve disease outcomes. To this end, the identification of different subsets of patients according with the prevalent pathogenic process might guide in the choice of therapeutic strategy. We hypothesize that UC patients might be stratified according to distinctive cytokine profiles and/or to a specific mucosa-associated microbiota. METHODS: In a cohort of clinically and endoscopic active UC patients and controls, we analyzed by qPCR the mucosal cytokine mRNA content and the mucosa-associated microbiota composition assessed by the 16SrRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: We demonstrate, by means of data-driven approach, the existence of a specific UC patient subgroup characterized by elevated IL-13mRNA tissue content separated by patients with low IL-13 mRNA tissue content. The two subsets differ in clinical-pathological characteristics. High IL-13mRNA patients are younger at diagnosis and show higher prevalence of extensive colitis than low IL-13mRNA ones. They also show a more frequent use of steroid/immunosuppressant/anti-TNFα therapy during a one-year follow-up. The two subgroups show a differential enrichment of mucosa associated microbiota genera with prevalence of Prevotella in patients with high IL-13mRNA tissue content and Sutterella and Acidaminococcus in patients with low IL-13mRNA tissue content. CONCLUSION: Assessment of mucosal IL-13mRNA might help in the identification of the patients' subgroup that might benefit from a therapeutic approach modulating IL-13.