Fig. 5

Enterotype 1 and 4 exhibited decreased enteral mass and significant systemic inflammation. (A) Box plots comparing the plasmatic concentrations of the following cytokines and chemokines among the 4 enterotypes: IFN- 𝛾 (a), IL-6 (b), IL-8 (c), SDF-1 (d), GM-CSF (4), IL-13 (f), IL-10 (g), IL-12p70 (h), IL-1 β (i), IL-2 (j), TNF-α (k), VEGF (l). Cytokine concentrations were expressed on a base-10 logarithmic scale (pg/mL). (B) Box plots comparing f-calprotectin among the 4 enterotypes [enterotype 1 (n = 18), enterotype 2 (n = 19), enterotype 3 (n = 20) and enterotype 4 (n = 16)]. (C) Box plots comparing the fecal concentration of human β-defensin 2 among the 4 enterotypes [enterotype 1 (n = 19), enterotype 2 (n = 19), enterotype 3 (n = 20) and enterotype 4 (n = 16)]. (D) Box plots presenting levels of plasma citrulline among the 4 enterotypes [enterotype 1 (n = 15), enterotype 2 (n = 26), enterotype 3 (n = 20) and enterotype 4 (n = 17)]. p-values were calculated using a non-parametric two-sided Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons tests. (E) Heatmap presenting the matrix of Spearman’s correlation coefficients between IL-6, IL-8, SDF-1, GM-CSF, IL-13, plasma citrulline, bacterial load, Shannon α-diversity index, the number of observed OTUs of butyrate producers, the NE’s bacterial signature coefficient, and the fecal concentrations of butyrate. p-value < 0.01 was considered statistically significant