Differential metabolic host response to pathogens associated with community-acquired pneumonia

Metabolic changes induced by the host immune response to pathogens found in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) may provide insight into its pathogenesis. In this study, we characterized differences in the host metabolic response to common CAP-associated pathogens.

Targeted metabolomic profiling was performed on serum samples obtained from hospitalized CAP patients (n = 119) at admission. We quantified 347 unique metabolites across multiple biochemical classes, including amines, acylcarnitines, and signaling lipids. We evaluated if unique associations between metabolite levels and specific CAP-associated pathogens could be identified.

Several acylcarnitines were found to be elevated in C. burnetii and herpes simplex virus and lowered in M. pneumoniae as compared to other pathogens. Phenylalanine and kynurenine were found elevated in L. pneumophila as compared to other pathogens. S-methylcysteine was elevated in patients with M. pneumoniae, and these patients also showed lowered cortisol levels in comparison to almost all other pathogens. For the herpes simplex virus, we observed a unique elevation of eicosanoids and several amines. Many lysophosphatidylcholines showed an altered profile in C. burnetii versus S. pneumoniae, L. pneumophila, and respiratory syncytial virus. Finally, phosphatidylcholines were negatively affected by the influenza virus in comparison to S. pneumoniae.

In this exploratory analysis, metabolites from different biochemical classes were found to be altered in serum samples from patients with different CAP-associated pathogens, which may be used for hypothesis generation in studies on differences in pathogen host response and pathogenesis of CAP.