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Isolation and Identification of Extravascular Immune Cells of the Heart
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Isolation and Identification of Extravascular Immune Cells of the Heart

Published on: August 23, 2018

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Distinct Microbial Communities in Dilated Cardiomyopathy Explanted Hearts Are Associated With Different Myocardial

Jaqueline de Jesus Pereira1,2, Renata Nishiyama Ikegami1,2, Joyce Tiyeko Kawakami1,2

  • 1Instituto do Coração (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
|December 16, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) linked to specific microbes like Mycoplasma pneumoniae and hepatitis B core antigens may worsen heart transplant rejection. Further research is needed to understand these microbial communities and their impact on transplant outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Immunology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) myocardial inflammation may stem from external triggers, including infectious agents.
  • Investigating the link between myocardial inflammation in IDCM explanted hearts and microbial communities is crucial for understanding heart transplant (HT) outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if moderate/severe heart transplant rejection is associated with myocardial inflammation in IDCM explanted hearts.
  • To explore the role of specific microbial communities in post-transplant rejection.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of myocardial samples from 18 explanted hearts categorized by post-transplant rejection severity (persistent moderate rejection, moderate rejection, no/light rejection).
  • Quantification of inflammation using immunohistochemistry (IHC).
  • Detection of infectious agents via IHC, molecular biology, in situ hybridization, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Main Results:

  • No rejection (NR) groups showed fewer macrophages and B cells but higher HLA class II expression compared to rejection groups.
  • Persistent moderate rejection (PMR) and moderate rejection (MR) groups had elevated Mycoplasma pneumoniae and hepatitis B core antigens.
  • All groups contained genes for M. pneumoniae, Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), human herpes virus 6 (HHV6), and parvovirus B19 (PVB19); TEM confirmed microbial structures.

Conclusions:

  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae and hepatitis B core antigen association with worse outcomes (MR and PMR) suggests a role in post-transplant myocardial rejection.
  • Different IDCM microbial communities may influence the severity of myocardial rejection after heart transplantation.
  • This study highlights the potential impact of microbial agents on heart transplant success in IDCM patients.
Keywords:
cardiomyopathyinfectious agentsmyocardialrejectiontransplantation

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