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The human respiratory tract, comprising the upper and lower segments, serves as a critical interface with the external environment. The upper respiratory tract (URT)—including the nostrils, sinuses, pharynx, and oropharynx—is heavily colonized by microbes, while the lower respiratory tract (LRT), composed of the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs, was long thought to be sterile. However, recent molecular studies have revealed that the lungs are not devoid of microbes but act more...

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Author Spotlight: Investigating the Key Factors of Obliterative Bronchiolitis After Lung Transplantation

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Key Factors of Obliterative Bronchiolitis After Lung Transplantation

Published on: November 10, 2023

The lung microbiome after lung transplantation.

Julia Becker¹, Valeriy Poroyko, Sangeeta Bhorade

¹Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine

|March 8, 2014

Summary

Lung transplant recipients experience infections and chronic rejection, known as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). Research suggests the lung microbiome, analyzed by new techniques, plays a role in BOS development and progression.

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Last Updated: May 2, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Key Factors of Obliterative Bronchiolitis After Lung Transplantation

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Published on: November 10, 2023

Author Spotlight: Advancing Lung Transplant Immunology Through Intravital Imaging

Author Spotlight: Advancing Lung Transplant Immunology Through Intravital Imaging

Published on: April 19, 2024

Orthotopic Left Lung Transplantation in Rats

Orthotopic Left Lung Transplantation in Rats

Published on: July 3, 2025

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Immunology
Transplantation Science

Background:

Lung transplant survival is limited by infections and chronic rejection, specifically bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS).
Traditional methods offer limited insight into the complex microbial communities within the lung allograft.
The human microbiome, encompassing all resident microbes, is increasingly recognized for its role in health and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of the lung microbiome in the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after lung transplantation.
To characterize the microbial communities in lung transplant recipients using non-culture-based techniques.
To explore the longitudinal changes in the lung microbiome and their association with BOS.

Main Methods:

Utilized non-culture-based techniques to analyze the entire microbial population (microbiome) in lung transplant recipients.
Compared the lung microbiome of transplant patients to healthy individuals.
Monitored changes in the lung microbiome over time in relation to clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

Lung transplant recipients exhibit a distinct lung microbiome compared to controls.
Significant alterations in the lung microbiome were observed over time post-transplantation.
Specific bacterial populations and temporal shifts in the microbiome are associated with the development of BOS.

Conclusions:

The lung microbiome is altered in lung transplant recipients and changes dynamically over time.
The composition and evolution of the lung microbiome are implicated in the pathogenesis of BOS.
Future research should integrate microbiome data with functional and immunological assessments to fully elucidate its role in allograft dysfunction.