Gut microbiota composition influences outcomes of skeletal muscle nutritional intervention via blended protein supplementation in posttransplant patients with hematological malignancies

Background Skeletal muscle atrophy is an important and independent predictor of survival after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Our previous study found that soy-whey blended protein (SWP) can improve muscle mass in acute leukemia patients. Objective We aimed to explore potential factors that influence muscle outcomes after nutritional intervention. Methods In this case-control study, 13 patients who received HSCT and failed to improve muscle function within half a year were included. After two months of SWP intervention, the subjects were divided into two groups (MSI: muscle status improved; MNI: muscle status not improved). 16S rDNA sequencing, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and the PICRUSt algorithm were used to analyze the composition, structure and function of the intestinal microbiota between the groups. This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR 1800017765). Results SWP significantly improved muscle status (muscle area: from 330.4 mm2 to 384.8 mm2, p = 0.02; muscle strength: from 19.2 kg to 21.3 kg, p = 0.04). However, there were a small number of subjects whose muscle status was not effectively improved. After SWP intervention, the diversity (Shannon: from 1.7 to 3.8, p = 0.01; Simpson: from 0.6 to 0.8, p = 0.015) of the intestinal microbiota in the MSI group increased significantly, whereas that in the MNI group did not. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed separate groupings of the microbiota of the Baseline-MSI and Endpoint-MSI time points in the MSI group. Opposite patterns of microbial abundance change were found between the MSI group (75% of changed genera were increased) and the MNI group (80% of changed genera were decreased). Three bacterial taxa (negative correlation: Streptococcus; positive correlations: Ruminococcus and Veillonella) were significantly related to muscle improvement outcomes. Both pentose phosphate (p = 0.048) and amino acid biosynthesis (p = 0.039), which are related to muscle metabolism, were found to be significantly changed in the MSI group through PICRUSt algorithm prediction. Conclusions Our results suggest that the intestinal microbiota plays important roles in the regulation of muscle metabolism.