Airway microbiome composition correlates with lung function and arterial stiffness in an age-dependent manner

To investigate age-associated changes in airway microbiome composition and their relationships with lung function and arterial stiffness among genetically matched young and elderly pairs.

Twenty-four genetically linked family pairs comprised of younger (≤40 years) and older (≥60 years) healthy participants were recruited (Total n = 48). Lung function and arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx)) were assessed. Sputum samples were collected for targeted 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and correlations between microbiome composition, lung function and arterial stiffness were investigated.

Elderly participants exhibited reductions in lung function (FEV1 (p<0.001), FVC (p<0.001) and percentage FEV1/FVC (p = 0.003)) and a 1.3-3.9-fold increase in arterial stiffness (p<0.001) relative to genetically related younger adults. Elderly adults had a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes (p = 0.035) and lower relative abundance of Proteobacteria (p = 0.014), including specific genera Haemophilus (p = 0.024) and Lautropia (p = 0.020) which were enriched in the younger adults. Alpha diversity was comparable between young and elderly pairs (p>0.05) but was inversely associated with lung function (FEV1%Predicted and FVC %Predicted) in the young (p = 0.006 and p = 0.003) though not the elderly (p = 0.481 and p = 0.696). Conversely, alpha diversity was negatively associated with PWV in the elderly (p = 0.01) but not the young (p = 0.569). Specifically, phylum Firmicutes including the genus Gemella were correlated with lung function (FVC %Predicted) in the young group (p = 0.047 and p = 0.040), while Fusobacteria and Leptotrichia were associated with arterial stiffness (PWV) in the elderly (both p = 0.004).

Ageing is associated with increased Firmicutes and decreased Proteobacteria representation in the airway microbiome among a healthy Asian cohort. The diversity and composition of the airway microbiome is independently associated with lung function and arterial stiffness in the young and elderly groups respectively. This suggests differential microbial associations with these phenotypes at specific stages of life with potential prognostic implications.