Page 74 - Read Online

Tian et al. Microbiome Res Rep 2024;3:49 https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/mrr.2024.33 Page 7 of 14

Figure 2. Pediococcus acidilactici CCFM6432’s effect on alleviating depression symptoms. (A) Score change of the HADS; (B) Analysis of
HADS subscales for depression and anxiety; (C) Score change of the SAS; (D) Score change of the PSQI; (E) Score change of the GSRS;
**
##
#
(F) Factor analysis of the GSRS. Colors distinguish groups. P < 0.01 in paired t-test. P < 0.05, P < 0.01, ### P < 0.001 in the unpaired
t-tests. HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; SAS: Self-Rating Anxiety Scale; PSQI: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; GSRS:
Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale.
CCFM6432 treatment does not significantly disturb the microbial structure of patients
Following intervention with Pediococcus acidilactici CCFM6432, the Chao1 index significantly increased
(P = 0.004, Figure 3A), indicating a significant increase in species richness of the gut microbiota in patients
with depression. However, CCFM6432 did not significantly affect the beta diversity of the microbiota
[Figure 3B-D], indicating minimal disturbance to the composition of the gut microbiota. Further
identification of inter-group differences in specific microbial species was conducted through linear
discriminant analysis effect size (LEFSe) analysis based on the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. The major
contributing species to differences in the gut microbiota before and after CCFM6432 treatment were
Megamonas and Pediococcus [Figure 3E]. Previous studies have shown associations between Megamonas