Related Experiment Videos
The microbiome in respiratory medicine: current challenges and future perspectives
Rosa Faner1,2,3, Oriol Sibila4,3, Alvar Agustí1,2
1Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
The European Respiratory Journal
|April 14, 2017
Summary
The lung harbors a complex microbiome, distinct from sterile assumptions. This lower respiratory tract microbiota composition changes with smoking and chronic diseases, impacting health.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pulmonology
- Genomics
Background:
- Traditionally, the lung was considered sterile due to negative culture results.
- Emerging culture-independent techniques reveal a complex lung microbiome in healthy individuals.
- The lung microbiome shares similarities with the oropharyngeal microbiota, dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize current knowledge on the lower respiratory tract microbiota.
- To highlight alterations in the lung microbiome associated with smoking and chronic respiratory diseases.
- To identify knowledge gaps and future research directions in the field of respiratory microbiome.
Main Methods:
- Review of culture-independent techniques for microbial analysis.
- Analysis of existing literature on lung microbiota composition and its relation to disease.
- Comparative analysis of microbiota in healthy subjects, smokers, and patients with chronic respiratory diseases.
Main Results:
- The lower respiratory tract microbiota is similar to the oropharyngeal microbiota in healthy individuals.
- Smoking and chronic respiratory diseases like COPD, IPF, CF, and bronchiectasis are associated with distinct lung microbiota profiles.
- A loss of microbial diversity and an over-representation of Proteobacteria (dysbiosis) are observed in chronic lung diseases, correlating with severity and exacerbations.
Conclusions:
- The lung microbiome is a dynamic entity influenced by environmental factors and disease states.
- Dysbiosis in the lung microbiome is linked to chronic respiratory diseases, but its causal role remains unclear.
- Further research into bacterial functionality, host-microbiome interactions, and advanced analyses is crucial for developing targeted microbiome interventions.