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Updated: Jan 25, 2026
Bronchoalveolar Lavage of Murine Lungs to Analyze Inflammatory Cell Infiltration
Published on: May 4, 2017
Inflammatory responses relate to distinct bronchoalveolar lavage lipidome in community-acquired pneumonia patients: a
Yali Zheng1, Pu Ning1,2, Qiongzhen Luo1
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
Background:
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Antibiotics are losing their effectiveness due to the emerging infectious diseases, the scarcity of novel antibiotics, and the contributions of antibiotic misuse and overuse to resistance. Characterization of the lipidomic response to pneumonia and exploring the "lipidomic phenotype" can provide new insight into the underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis and potential avenues for diagnostic and therapeutic treatments.
Methods:
Lipid profiles of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were generated through untargeted lipidomic profiling analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to identify possible sources of variations among samples. Partitioning clustering analysis (k-means) was employed to evaluate the existence of distinct lipidomic clusters.
Results:
PCA showed that BALF lipidomes differed significantly between CAP (n = 52) and controls (n = 68, including 35 healthy volunteers and 33 patients with non-infectious lung diseases); while no clear separation was found between severe CAP and non-severe CAP cases. Lactosylceramides were the most prominently elevated lipid constituent in CAP. Clustering analysis revealed three separate lipid profiles; subjects in each cluster exhibited significant differences in disease severity, incidence of hypoxemia, percentages of phagocytes in BALF, and serum concentrations of albumin and total cholesterol (all p < 0.05). In addition, SM (d34:1) was negatively related to macrophage (adjusted r = - 0.462, p < 0.0001) and PE (18:1p/20:4) was positively correlated with polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) percentages of BALF (adjusted r = 0.541, p < 0.0001). The 30-day mortality did not differ amongst three clusters (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that specific lower airway lipid composition is related to different intensities of host inflammatory responses, and may contribute to functionally relevant shifts in disease pathogenesis in CAP individuals. These findings argue for the need to tailor therapy based on specific lipid profiles and related inflammatory status.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03093220). Registered on 28 March 2017 (retrospectively registered).
Insights
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) involves distinct lipid profiles in the lower airways, offering insights into host inflammatory responses. Tailoring treatments based on these lipid signatures may improve patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Lipidomics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant global health concern.
- Antibiotic resistance is increasing, necessitating novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
- Lipidomic profiling offers a new perspective on pneumonia pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the lipidomic response in the lower airways of CAP patients.
- To identify distinct lipid profiles associated with CAP.
- To explore the relationship between lipid profiles and host inflammatory responses.
Main Methods:
- Untargeted lipidomic profiling of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) using HPLC-MS.
- Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to differentiate sample groups.
- K-means clustering to identify distinct lipidomic phenotypes.
Main Results:
- BALF lipidomes significantly differed between CAP patients and controls.
- Lactosylceramides were elevated in CAP patients.
- Three distinct lipid profiles were identified, correlating with disease severity and inflammatory markers.
Conclusions:
- Specific lower airway lipid compositions are linked to varying host inflammatory responses in CAP.
- Lipid profiles may influence disease pathogenesis and suggest tailored therapeutic approaches.
- Further research into lipid-based diagnostics and therapeutics for CAP is warranted.
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