Fig. 7

High Fecal Fusobacteria Abundance is Positively Correlated with Microbial Translocation in Spinal-Onset ALS, whereas High Oral Fusobacteria Abundance is Positively Correlated with Microbial Translocation in Bulbar-Onset ALS. A Percent abundance of Fusobacteria in gut microbiome. Results represent both ALS (spinal- and bulbar-onset ALS combined) or spinal- and bulbar-onset ALS quantified separately. Spinal-onset ALS patients displayed a significant enrichment of Fusobacteria in the gut. No significant change in bulbar-onset ALS. B Linear regression analysis comparing fecal Fusobacteria abundance and blood LBP levels in spinal-onset ALS patients (left) and bulbar-onset ALS patients (right). We observed a strong correlation between fecal Fusobacteria abundance and LBP levels in spinal-onset ALS patients but not in bulbar-onset ALS patients. C Percent abundance of Fusobacteria in oral microbiome. Bulbar-onset ALS patients displayed a significant enrichment of Fusobacteria in saliva. No significant change in spinal-onset ALS. D Linear regression analysis comparing oral Fusobacteria abundance and blood LBP levels in spinal-onset ALS patients (left) and bulbar-onset ALS patients (right). We observed a strong correlation between oral Fusobacteria abundance and LBP levels in bulbar-onset ALS patients but not in spinal-onset ALS patients. Statistics: In panel A and C, contrasts between control and ALS patients (combined) utilized Mann–Whitney test, while contrasts between control, spinal-onset ALS, and bulbar-onset ALS utilized Kruskal–Wallis test with Dunn’s post-hoc multiple comparisons test. Values represent sample median with interquartile range. For panels B and D, statistical significance was established using linear regression analysis and Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001