Lung microbiome, gut–lung axis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The “microbiome” is the operative term to refer to a collection of all taxa constituting microbial communities, such as bacteria, archaea, fungi and protists (originally microbiota). The microbiome consists of the indigenous microbial communities and of the host environment that they inhabit. Actually, it has been shown that there is a close relationship between the microbiome and human health and disease condition. Although, initially, the lung was considered sterile, actually, the existence of a healthy lung microbiome is usually accepted. Lung microbiome changes are reported in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and in its exacerbation. Viral and bacterial infections of the respiratory system are a major cause of COPD exacerbations (AECOPD) leading to increased local and systemic inflammation. Detection rates of virus in AECOPD are variable between 25-62% according to the detection method. The study of human airway and lung disease virome is quite recent and still very limited. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent findings on the lung microbiome composition with a special emphasis on virome in COPD and in AECOPD. Some drugs of natural origins active against resistant bacteria and virus are described.

Download Full-text

Disease-associated gut microbiome and metabolome changes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-020-19701-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kate L. Bowerman ◽

Saima Firdous Rehman ◽

Annalicia Vaughan ◽

Nancy Lachner ◽

Kurtis F. Budden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Pulmonary Disease ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Lung Microbiome ◽

Copd Patients ◽

The Family ◽

Faecal Microbiome

AbstractChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third commonest cause of death globally, and manifests as a progressive inflammatory lung disease with no curative treatment. The lung microbiome contributes to COPD progression, but the function of the gut microbiome remains unclear. Here we examine the faecal microbiome and metabolome of COPD patients and healthy controls, finding 146 bacterial species differing between the two groups. Several species, including Streptococcus sp000187445, Streptococcus vestibularis and multiple members of the family Lachnospiraceae, also correlate with reduced lung function. Untargeted metabolomics identifies a COPD signature comprising 46% lipid, 20% xenobiotic and 20% amino acid related metabolites. Furthermore, we describe a disease-associated network connecting Streptococcus parasanguinis_B with COPD-associated metabolites, including N-acetylglutamate and its analogue N-carbamoylglutamate. While correlative, our results suggest that the faecal microbiome and metabolome of COPD patients are distinct from those of healthy individuals, and may thus aid in the search for biomarkers for COPD.

Download Full-text