bims-bac4me 2023-10-22 papers

bims-bac4me

Biomed News

on Microbiome and trained immunity

Issue of 2023–10–22
forty papers selected by
Chun-Chi Chang, Universitäts Spital Zürich

Multiomic profiling of cutaneous leishmaniasis infections reveals microbiota-driven mechanisms underlying disease severity.
Novel methodologies for host-microbe interactions and microbiome-targeted therapeutics in 3D organotypic skin models.
A1 is induced by pathogen ligands to limit myeloid cell death and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Inflammatory loops in the epithelial-immune microenvironment of the skin and skin appendages in chronic inflammatory diseases.
Prognostic Insights from Longitudinal Multicompartment Study of Host-Microbiota Interactions in Critically Ill Patients.
Antimicrobial peptides modulate lung injury by altering the intestinal microbiota.
LncRNA MALAT1/microRNA-30b axis regulates macrophage polarization and function.
Variable staphyloxanthin production by Staphylococcus aureus drives strain-dependent effects on diabetic wound-healing outcomes.
Amoxicillin treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia impacts bone marrow neutrophil maturation and function.
STAT6-induced production of mucus and resistin-like molecules in lung Club cells does not protect against helminth or Influenza A virus infection.
Myeloid miR-155 plays a limited role in antibacterial defense during Klebsiella-derived pneumosepsis and is dispensable for lipopolysaccharide- or Klebsiella-induced inflammation in mice.
The respiratory microbiome in childhood asthma.
BMI1 Transduction of Human Airway Epithelial Cells for Expansion of Proliferation and Differentiation.
Host-directed therapy for bacterial infections -Modulation of the phagolysosome pathway.
Nuclease activity and protein A release of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates determine the virulence in a murine model of acute lung infection.
SARS-CoV-2 suppresses TLR4-induced immunity by dendritic cells via C-type lectin receptor DC-SIGN.
PE12 interaction with TLR4 promotes intracellular survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by suppressing inflammatory response.
Bacterial synergies and antagonisms affecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence in the human lung, skin and intestine.
Single-cell analysis and spatial resolution of the gut microbiome.
Legionella pneumophila inhibits type I interferon signaling to avoid cell-intrinsic host cell defense.
Novel insights into the role of acetyl-CoA producing enzymes in epigenetic regulation.
Advances in synthetic biology toolboxes paving the way for mechanistic understanding and strain engineering of gut commensal Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium spp.
Angiogenin as a Possible Mediator of Macrophage-Mediated Regulation of Fibroblast Functions.
Aberrant neutrophil degranulation in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 partially remains for six months.
Macrophage polarization in tissue fibrosis.
EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX REMODELING IN ATOPIC DERMATITIS HARNESSES THE ONSET OF AN ASTHMATIC PHENOTYPE AND IS A POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ATOPIC MARCH.
Inhaler Steroid Use Changes Oral and Airway Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome Profile in Asthma Patients.
Single-cell phenotyping of bacteria combined with deep sequencing for improved contextualization of microbiome analyses.
BPIFB1 loss alters airway mucus properties and diminishes mucociliary clearance.
Response to Letter to the Editor: Nasal nitric oxide and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: Is it a matter of inflammation or mechanical obstruction?
Lactobacillus rhamnosus Modulates Lung Inflammation and Mitigates Gut Dysbiosis in a Murine Model of Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome.
Microphysiological Models of Lung Epithelium-Alveolar Macrophage Co-Cultures to Study Chronic Lung Disease.
Eotaxin-1/CCL11 promotes cellular senescence in human-derived fibroblasts through pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory pathways.
Dupilumab, Atopic Dermatitis, and Mycosis Fungoides-New Insights on an Evolving Story.
Primary Human Nasal Epithelial Cell Culture.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Human Primary Nasal Multiciliated Epithelial Cells Grown on Air-Liquid Interface Cultures.
A Monocytic Barrier to the Humanization of Immunodeficient Mice.
Evaluation of toll-like receptors 2 and 4 polymorphism and intestinal microbiota in children with food allergies.
Extracellular vesicles of the probiotic bacteria E. coli O83 activate innate immunity and prevent allergy in mice.
Hematopoietic memory of severe COVID-19 infection.

Sci Transl Med. 2023 Oct 18. 15(718): eadh1469

Multiomic profiling of cutaneous leishmaniasis infections reveals microbiota-driven mechanisms underlying disease severity.

Camila Farias Amorim, Victoria M Lovins, Tej Pratap Singh, Fernanda O Novais, Jordan C Harris, Alexsandro S Lago, Lucas P Carvalho, Edgar M Carvalho, Daniel P Beiting, Phillip Scott, Elizabeth A Grice.

Leishmania braziliensis is a parasitic infection that can result in inflammation and skin injury with highly variable and unpredictable clinical outcomes. Here, we investigated the potential impact of microbiota on infection-induced inflammatory responses and disease resolution by conducting an integrated analysis of the skin microbiome and host transcriptome on a cohort of 62 patients infected with L. braziliensis. We found that overall bacterial burden and microbiome configurations dominated with Staphylococcus spp. were associated with delayed healing and enhanced inflammatory responses, especially by IL-1 family members. Quantification of host and bacterial transcripts on human lesions revealed that high lesional S. aureus transcript abundance was associated with delayed healing and increased expression of IL-1β. This cytokine was critical for modulating disease outcomes in L. braziliensis-infected mice colonized with S. aureus, given that its neutralization reduced pathology and inflammation. These results highlight how the human microbiome can shape disease outcomes in cutaneous leishmaniasis and suggest pathways toward host-directed therapies to mitigate the inflammatory consequences.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adh1469
Microbiome. 2023 Oct 17. 11(1): 227

Novel methodologies for host-microbe interactions and microbiome-targeted therapeutics in 3D organotypic skin models.

Gijs Rikken, Luca D Meesters, Patrick A M Jansen, Diana Rodijk-Olthuis, Ivonne M J J van Vlijmen-Willems, Hanna Niehues, Jos P H Smits, Peter Oláh, Bernhard Homey, Joost Schalkwijk, Patrick L J M Zeeuwen, Ellen H van den Bogaard.

   BACKGROUND: Following descriptive studies on skin microbiota in health and disease, mechanistic studies on the interplay between skin and microbes are on the rise, for which experimental models are in great demand. Here, we present a novel methodology for microbial colonization of organotypic skin and analysis thereof.
RESULTS: An inoculation device ensured a standardized application area on the stratum corneum and a homogenous distribution of bacteria, while preventing infection of the basolateral culture medium even during prolonged culture periods for up to 2 weeks at a specific culture temperature and humidity. Hereby, host-microbe interactions and antibiotic interventions could be studied, revealing diverse host responses to various skin-related bacteria and pathogens.
CONCLUSIONS: Our methodology is easily transferable to a wide variety of organotypic skin or mucosal models and different microbes at every cell culture facility at low costs. We envision that this study will kick-start skin microbiome studies using human organotypic skin cultures, providing a powerful alternative to experimental animal models in pre-clinical research. Video Abstract.

Keywords:  Antibiotics; Colonization; Keratinocytes; Microbiota; Organoids

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-023-01668-x
EMBO Rep. 2023 Oct 17. e56865

A1 is induced by pathogen ligands to limit myeloid cell death and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Mary Speir, Hazel Tye, Timothy A Gottschalk, Daniel S Simpson, Tirta M Djajawi, Pankaj Deo, Rebecca L Ambrose, Stephanie A Conos, Jack Emery, Gilu Abraham, Ashlyn Pascoe, Sebastian A Hughes, Ashley Weir, Edwin D Hawkins, Isabella Kong, Marco J Herold, Jaclyn S Pearson, Najoua Lalaoui, Thomas Naderer, James E Vince, Kate E Lawlor.

  Programmed cell death pathways play an important role in innate immune responses to infection. Activation of intrinsic apoptosis promotes infected cell clearance; however, comparatively little is known about how this mode of cell death is regulated during infections and whether it can induce inflammation. Here, we identify that the pro-survival BCL-2 family member, A1, controls activation of the essential intrinsic apoptotic effectors BAX/BAK in macrophages and monocytes following bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sensing. We show that, due to its tight transcriptional and post-translational regulation, A1 acts as a molecular rheostat to regulate BAX/BAK-dependent apoptosis and the subsequent NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent and inflammasome-independent maturation of the inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Furthermore, induction of A1 expression in inflammatory monocytes limits cell death modalities and IL-1β activation triggered by Neisseria gonorrhoeae-derived outer membrane vesicles (NOMVs). Consequently, A1-deficient mice exhibit heightened IL-1β production in response to NOMV injection. These findings reveal that bacteria can induce A1 expression to delay myeloid cell death and inflammatory responses, which has implications for the development of host-directed antimicrobial therapeutics.

Keywords:  BCL-2A1; NLRP3; TLR ligation; mitochondrial apoptosis; myeloid cells

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.202356865
Front Immunol. 2023 ;14 1274270

Inflammatory loops in the epithelial-immune microenvironment of the skin and skin appendages in chronic inflammatory diseases.

Teruki Dainichi, Masashi Iwata.

  The epithelial-immune microenvironment (EIME) of epithelial tissues has five common elements: (1) microbial flora, (2) barrier, (3) epithelial cells, (4) immune cells, and (5) peripheral nerve endings. EIME provides both constant defense and situation-specific protective responses through three-layered mechanisms comprising barriers, innate immunity, and acquired immunity. The skin is one of the largest organs in the host defense system. The interactions between the five EIME elements of the skin protect against external dangers from the environment. This dysregulation can result in the generation of inflammatory loops in chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Here, we propose an understanding of EIME in chronic skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, alopecia areata, and acne vulgaris. We discuss the current treatment strategies targeting their inflammatory loops and propose possible therapeutic targets in the future.

Keywords:  EIME; alopecia areata; and acne; atopic dermatitis; psoriasis; systemic lupus erythematosus

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1274270
Res Sq. 2023 Sep 26. pii: rs.3.rs-3338762. [Epub ahead of print]

Prognostic Insights from Longitudinal Multicompartment Study of Host-Microbiota Interactions in Critically Ill Patients.

Georgios Kitsios, Khaled Sayed, Adam Fitch, Haopu Yang, Noel Britton, Faraaz Shah, William Bain, John Evankovich, Shulin Qin, Xiaohong Wang, Kelvin Li, Asha Patel, Yingze Zhang, Josiah Radder, Charles Dela Cruz, Daniel Okin, Ching-Ying Huang, Daria Van Tyne, Panayiotis Benos, Barbara Methe, Peggy Lai, Alison Morris, Bryan McVerry.

Critical illness can disrupt the composition and function of the microbiome, yet comprehensive longitudinal studies are lacking. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of oral, lung, and gut microbiota in a large cohort of 479 mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory failure. Progressive dysbiosis emerged in all three body compartments, characterized by reduced alpha diversity, depletion of obligate anaerobe bacteria, and pathogen enrichment. Clinical variables, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunosuppression, and antibiotic exposure, shaped dysbiosis. Notably, of the three body compartments, unsupervised clusters of lung microbiota diversity and composition independently predicted survival, transcending clinical predictors, organ dysfunction severity, and host-response sub-phenotypes. These independent associations of lung microbiota may serve as valuable biomarkers for prognostication and treatment decisions in critically ill patients. Insights into the dynamics of the microbiome during critical illness highlight the potential for microbiota-targeted interventions in precision medicine.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3338762/v1
Microbiome. 2023 Oct 16. 11(1): 226

Antimicrobial peptides modulate lung injury by altering the intestinal microbiota.

Ahmed Abdelgawad, Teodora Nicola, Isaac Martin, Brian A Halloran, Kosuke Tanaka, Comfort Y Adegboye, Pankaj Jain, Changchun Ren, Charitharth V Lal, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Amy E O'Connell, Tamás Jilling, Kent A Willis.

   BACKGROUND: Mammalian mucosal barriers secrete antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as critical, host-derived regulators of the microbiota. However, mechanisms that support microbiota homeostasis in response to inflammatory stimuli, such as supraphysiologic oxygen, remain unclear.
RESULTS: We show that supraphysiologic oxygen exposure to neonatal mice, or direct exposure of intestinal organoids to supraphysiologic oxygen, suppresses the intestinal expression of AMPs and alters intestinal microbiota composition. Oral supplementation of the prototypical AMP lysozyme to hyperoxia-exposed neonatal mice reduced hyperoxia-induced alterations in their microbiota and was associated with decreased lung injury.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results identify a gut-lung axis driven by intestinal AMP expression and mediated by the intestinal microbiota that is linked to lung injury in newborns. Together, these data support that intestinal AMPs modulate lung injury and repair. Video Abstract.

Keywords:  Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; Chronic lung disease; Gut-lung axis; Lysozyme; Microbiome; Neonatal lung injury; Neonate; Post-prematurity lung disease

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-023-01673-0
Front Immunol. 2023 ;14 1214810

LncRNA MALAT1/microRNA-30b axis regulates macrophage polarization and function.

Imran Ahmad, Raza Ali Naqvi, Araceli Valverde, Afsar R Naqvi.

  Macrophages (Mφ) are long-lived myeloid cells that can polarize towards the proinflammatory M1 or proresolving M2 phenotype to control diverse biological processes such as inflammation, tissue damage, and regeneration. Noncoding RNA are a class of nonprotein-coding transcriptome with numerous interdependent biological roles; however, their functional interaction in the regulation of Mφ polarization and immune responses remain unclear. Here, we show antagonistic relationship between lncRNA (MALAT1) and microRNA (miR-30b) in shaping macrophage polarization and immune functions. MALAT1 expression displays a time-dependent induction during Mφ differentiation and, upon challenge with TLR4 agonist (E. coli LPS). MALAT1 knockdown promoted the expression of M2Mφ markers without affecting M1Mφ markers, suggesting that MALAT1 favors the M1 phenotype by suppressing M2 differentiation. Compared to the control, MALAT1 knockdown resulted in reduced antigen uptake and processing, bacterial phagocytosis, and bactericidal activity, strongly supporting its critical role in regulating innate immune functions in Mφ. Consistent with this, MALAT1 knockdown showed impaired cytokine secretion upon challenge with LPS. Importantly, MALAT1 exhibit an antagonistic expression pattern with all five members of the miR-30 family during M2 Mφ differentiation. Dual-luciferase assays validated a novel sequence on MALAT1 that interacts with miR-30b, a microRNA that promotes the M2 phenotype. Phagocytosis and antigen processing assays unequivocally demonstrated that MALAT1 and miR-30b are functionally antagonistic. Concurrent MALAT1 knockdown and miR-30b overexpression exhibited the most significant attenuation in both assays. In human subjects with periodontal disease and murine model of ligature-induced periodontitis, we observed higher levels of MALAT1, M1Mφ markers and downregulation of miR-30b expression in gingival tissues suggesting a pro-inflammatory function of MALAT1 in vivo. Overall, we unraveled the role of MALAT1 in Mφ polarization and delineated the underlying mechanism of its regulation by involving MALAT-1-driven miR-30b sequestration.

Keywords:  MALAT1; lncRNA-miRNA interaction; long noncoding RNA; macrophage polarization; miR-30b; miRNA sponge; microRNA; phagocytosis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1214810
Cell Rep. 2023 Oct 17. pii: S2211-1247(23)01293-7. [Epub ahead of print]42(10): 113281

Variable staphyloxanthin production by Staphylococcus aureus drives strain-dependent effects on diabetic wound-healing outcomes.

Amy E Campbell, Amelia R McCready-Vangi, Aayushi Uberoi, Sofía M Murga-Garrido, Victoria M Lovins, Ellen K White, Jamie Ting-Chun Pan, Simon A B Knight, Alexis R Morgenstern, Colleen Bianco, Paul J Planet, Sue E Gardner, Elizabeth A Grice.

  Strain-level variation in Staphylococcus aureus is a factor that contributes to disease burden and clinical outcomes in skin disorders and chronic wounds. However, the microbial mechanisms that drive these variable host responses are poorly understood. To identify mechanisms underlying strain-specific outcomes, we perform high-throughput phenotyping screens on S. aureus isolates cultured from diabetic foot ulcers. Isolates from non-healing wounds produce more staphyloxanthin, a cell membrane pigment. In murine diabetic wounds, staphyloxanthin-producing isolates delay wound closure significantly compared with staphyloxanthin-deficient isolates. Staphyloxanthin promotes resistance to oxidative stress and enhances bacterial survival in neutrophils. Comparative genomic and transcriptomic analysis of genetically similar clinical isolates with disparate staphyloxanthin phenotypes reveals a mutation in the sigma B operon, resulting in marked differences in stress response gene expression. Our work illustrates a framework to identify traits that underlie strain-level variation in disease burden and suggests more precise targets for therapeutic intervention in S. aureus-positive wounds.

Keywords:  CP: Microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus; diabetic wound; wound healing; wound microbiome

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113281
J Leukoc Biol. 2023 Oct 14. pii: qiad125. [Epub ahead of print]

Amoxicillin treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia impacts bone marrow neutrophil maturation and function.

Mélanie Mondemé, Yasmine Zeroual, Daphnée Soulard, Benjamin Hennart, Delphine Beury, Jean-Michel Saliou, Christophe Carnoy, Jean-Claude Sirard, Christelle Faveeuw.

  Pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of death worldwide. A growing body of evidence indicates that the successful treatment of bacterial infections results from synergy between antibiotic-mediated direct antibacterial activity and the host's immune defenses. However, the mechanisms underlying the protective immune responses induced by amoxicillin, a β-lactam antibiotic used as the first-line treatment of S. pneumoniae infections, have not been characterized. A better understanding of amoxicillin's effects on host-pathogen interactions might facilitate the development of other treatment options. Given the crucial role of neutrophils in the control of S. pneumoniae infections, we decided to investigate amoxicillin's impact on neutrophil development in a mouse model of pneumococcal superinfection. A single therapeutic dose of amoxicillin almost completely eradicated the bacteria and prevented local and systemic inflammatory responses. Interestingly, in this context, amoxicillin treatment did not impair the emergency granulopoiesis triggered in the bone marrow by S. pneumoniae. Importantly, treatment of pneumonia with amoxicillin was associated with a greater mature neutrophil count in the bone marrow; these neutrophils had specific transcriptomic and proteomic profiles. Furthermore, amoxicillin-conditioned, mature neutrophils in the bone marrow had a less activated phenotype and might be rapidly mobilized in peripheral tissues in response to systemic inflammation. Thus, by revealing a novel effect of amoxicillin on the development and functions of bone marrow neutrophils during S. pneumoniae pneumonia, our findings provide new insights into the impact of amoxicillin treatment on host immune responses.

Keywords:   Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Amoxicillin; Bone marrow neutrophils; Emergency granulopoiesis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/jleuko/qiad125
Eur J Immunol. 2023 Oct 19. e2350558

STAT6-induced production of mucus and resistin-like molecules in lung Club cells does not protect against helminth or Influenza A virus infection.

Andreas Ruhl, Ana Vieira Antão, Axel Dietschmann, Daniel Radtke, Matthias Tenbusch, David Voehringer.

  Airway epithelial cells contribute to a variety of lung diseases including allergic asthma, where IL-4 and IL-13 promote activation of the transcription factor STAT6. This leads to goblet cell hyperplasia and the secretion of effector molecules by epithelial cells. However, the specific effect of activated STAT6 in lung epithelial cells is only partially understood. Here, we created a mouse strain to selectively investigate the role of constitutively active STAT6 in Club cells, a subpopulation of airway epithelial cells. CCSP-Cre_STAT6vt mice and bronchiolar organoids derived from these show an enhanced expression of the chitinase-like protein Chil4 (Ym2) and resistin-like molecules (Relm-α, -β, -γ). In addition, goblet cells of these mice spontaneously secrete mucus into the bronchi. However, the activated epithelium resulted neither in impaired lung function nor conferred a protective effect against the migrating helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Moreover, CCSP-Cre_STAT6vt mice showed similar allergic airway inflammation induced by live conidia of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and similar recovery after Influenza A virus infection compared to control mice. Together these results highlight that STAT6 signaling in Club cells induces the secretion of Relm proteins and mucus without impairing lung function, but this is not sufficient to confer protection against helminth or viral infections. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords:  Relm-α; STAT6; aspergillus fumigatus; club cell; influenza a virus; mucus; nippostrongylus brasilienis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/eji.202350558
Pathog Dis. 2023 Oct 19. pii: ftad031. [Epub ahead of print]

Myeloid miR-155 plays a limited role in antibacterial defense during Klebsiella-derived pneumosepsis and is dispensable for lipopolysaccharide- or Klebsiella-induced inflammation in mice.

Wanhai Qin, Anno Saris, Cornelis van 't Veer, Joris J T H Roelofs, Brendon P Scicluna, Alex F de Vos, Tom van der Poll.

MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) plays a crucial role in regulating host inflammatory responses during bacterial infection. Previous studies have shown that constitutive miR-155 deficiency alleviates inflammation while having varying effects in different bacterial infection models. However, whether miR-155 in myeloid cells is involved in the regulation of inflammatory and antibacterial responses is largely elusive. Mice with myeloid cell specific miR-155 deficiency were generated to study the in vitro response of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs), alveolar macrophages (AMs) and peritoneal macrophages (PMs) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the in vivo response after intranasal or intraperitoneal challenge with LPS or infection with Klebsiella (K.) pneumoniae via the airways. MiR-155 deficient macrophages released less inflammatory cytokines than control macrophages upon stimulation with LPS in vitro. However, the in vivo inflammatory cytokine response to LPS or K. pneumoniae was not affected by myeloid miR-155 deficiency. Moreover, bacterial outgrowth in the lungs was not altered in myeloid miR-155 deficient mice, but Klebsiella loads in the liver of these mice were significantly higher than in control mice. These data argue against a major role for myeloid miR-155 in host inflammatory responses during LPS-induced inflammation and K. pneumoniae-induced pneumosepsis but suggest that myeloid miR-155 contributes to host defense against Klebsiella infection in the liver.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/femspd/ftad031
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Oct 12. pii: S0091-6749(23)01252-6. [Epub ahead of print]

The respiratory microbiome in childhood asthma.

Gina J van Beveren, Hager Said, Marlies A van Houten, Debby Bogaert.

  Asthma is the most prevalent non-communicable disease in childhood, characterized by reversible airway constriction and inflammation of the lower airways. The respiratory tract constitutes of the upper and lower airways and are lined with a diverse community of microbes. The composition and density of the respiratory microbiome differs across the respiratory tract, with microbes adapting to the gradually changing physiology of the environment. Over the past decade, both the upper- and lower respiratory microbiome have been implicated in the etiology and disease course of asthma, as well as its severity and phenotype. We have reviewed the literature on the role of the respiratory microbiome in asthma, making a careful distinction between the relationship of the microbiome with development of childhood asthma and its relationship with the disease course, while accounting for age and the microbial niches studied. Furthermore, we assessed the literature regarding the underlying asthma endotypes and the impact of the microbiome on the host-immune response. We've identified distinct microbial signatures across the respiratory tract associated with asthma development, asthma stability and severity. These data suggest that the respiratory microbiome may be important for asthma development and severity, and therefore a potential target for future microbiome-based preventive and treatment strategies.

Keywords:  Asthma; pediatric; respiratory microbiome; wheeze

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2023.10.001
Methods Mol Biol. 2024 ;2725 225-237

BMI1 Transduction of Human Airway Epithelial Cells for Expansion of Proliferation and Differentiation.

Ruhina Maeshima, Amy I Jacobs, Melis T Dalbay, Stephen L Hart.

  Air-liquid interface (ALI)-cultured cells are widely used as in vitro models of the human respiratory airway in studies of pulmonary physiology, disease, and therapies. However, the primary basal cells required to establish the ALI cultures generally lose their ability to differentiate by the second or third passage, requiring a fresh batch, which can be limiting, particularly from donors with rare genotypes or in studies where gene modification or editing is required. We have developed a method that preserves the ability to expand primary cells and maintain their capacity to differentiate by lentiviral transduction with BMI1. BMI1-transduced basal airway cells are maintained in submerged culture in the same way as primary basal cells but can be passaged more than 20 times retaining their differentiation capacity in ALI cultures. BMI1-transduced basal cells can be frozen and stored long term in liquid nitrogen, enabling transfer of samples between research groups.

Keywords:  Air-liquid interface (ALI) culture; Cystic fibrosis; Human airway epithelial cells; Human lung model; Primary cells; Primary ciliary dyskinesia

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3507-0_14
Front Immunol. 2023 ;14 1227467

Host-directed therapy for bacterial infections -Modulation of the phagolysosome pathway.

Toshihiko Taya, Fumiya Teruyama, Satoshi Gojo.

  Bacterial infections still impose a significant burden on humanity, even though antimicrobial agents have long since been developed. In addition to individual severe infections, the f fatality rate of sepsis remains high, and the threat of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria grows with time, putting us at inferiority. Although tremendous resources have been devoted to the development of antimicrobial agents, we have yet to recover from the lost ground we have been driven into. Looking back at the evolution of treatment for cancer, which, like infectious diseases, has the similarity that host immunity eliminates the lesion, the development of drugs to eliminate the tumor itself has shifted from a single-minded focus on drug development to the establishment of a treatment strategy in which the de-suppression of host immunity is another pillar of treatment. In infectious diseases, on the other hand, the development of therapies that strengthen and support the immune system has only just begun. Among innate immunity, the first line of defense that bacteria encounter after invading the host, the molecular mechanisms of the phagolysosome pathway, which begins with phagocytosis to fusion with lysosome, have been elucidated in detail. Bacteria have a large number of strategies to escape and survive the pathway. Although the full picture is still unfathomable, the molecular mechanisms have been elucidated for some of them, providing sufficient clues for intervention. In this article, we review the host defense mechanisms and bacterial evasion mechanisms and discuss the possibility of host-directed therapy for bacterial infection by intervening in the phagolysosome pathway.

Keywords:  V-ATPase; antimicrobial resistance; bacterial infection; host-directed therapy; immune evasion; lysosome; phagocytosis; sepsis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1227467
Front Immunol. 2023 ;14 1259004

Nuclease activity and protein A release of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates determine the virulence in a murine model of acute lung infection.

Nadine Ludwig, Julia Thörner-van Almsick, Sina Mersmann, Bernadette Bardel, Silke Niemann, Achmet Imam Chasan, Michael Schäfers, Andreas Margraf, Jan Rossaint, Barbara C Kahl, Alexander Zarbock, Helena Block.

  Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia associated with high mortality. Adequate clinical treatment is impeded by increasing occurrence of antibiotic resistances. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of its virulence during infections is a prerequisite to finding alternative treatments. Here, we demonstrated that an increased nuclease activity of a S. aureus isolate from a person with cystic fibrosis confers a growth advantage in a model of acute lung infection compared to the isogenic strain with low nuclease activity. Comparing these CF-isolates with a common MRSA-USA300 strain with similarly high nuclease activity but significantly elevated levels of Staphylococcal Protein A (SpA) revealed that infection with USA300 resulted in a significantly increased bacterial burden in a model of murine lung infection. Replenishment with the cell wall-bound SpA of S. aureus, which can also be secreted into the environment and binds to tumor necrosis factor receptor -1 (TNFR-1) to the CF-isolates abrogated these differences. In vitro experiments confirmed significant differences in spa-expression between USA300 compared to CF-isolates, thereby influencing TNFR-1 shedding, L-selectin shedding, and production of reactive oxygen species through activation of ADAM17.

Keywords:  L-selectin shedding; SpA; Staphylococcus aureus; TNFR shedding; lung infection; neutrophil extracellular traps; neutrophil recruitment

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1259004
PLoS Pathog. 2023 Oct 16. 19(10): e1011735

SARS-CoV-2 suppresses TLR4-induced immunity by dendritic cells via C-type lectin receptor DC-SIGN.

Lieve E H van der Donk, Marta Bermejo-Jambrina, John L van Hamme, Mette M W Volkers, Ad C van Nuenen, Neeltje A Kootstra, Teunis B H Geijtenbeek.

SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19, an infectious disease with symptoms ranging from a mild cold to severe pneumonia, inflammation, and even death. Although strong inflammatory responses are a major factor in causing morbidity and mortality, superinfections with bacteria during severe COVID-19 often cause pneumonia, bacteremia and sepsis. Aberrant immune responses might underlie increased sensitivity to bacteria during COVID-19 but the mechanisms remain unclear. Here we investigated whether SARS-CoV-2 directly suppresses immune responses to bacteria. We studied the functionality of human dendritic cells (DCs) towards a variety of bacterial triggers after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein and SARS-CoV-2 primary isolate (hCoV-19/Italy). Notably, pre-exposure of DCs to either SARS-CoV-2 S protein or a SARS-CoV-2 isolate led to reduced type I interferon (IFN) and cytokine responses in response to Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS), whereas other TLR agonists were not affected. SARS-CoV-2 S protein interacted with the C-type lectin receptor DC-SIGN and, notably, blocking DC-SIGN with antibodies restored type I IFN and cytokine responses to LPS. Moreover, blocking the kinase Raf-1 by a small molecule inhibitor restored immune responses to LPS. These results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 modulates DC function upon TLR4 triggering via DC-SIGN-induced Raf-1 pathway. These data imply that SARS-CoV-2 actively suppresses DC function via DC-SIGN, which might account for the higher mortality rates observed in patients with COVID-19 and bacterial superinfections.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1011735
Int J Biol Macromol. 2023 Oct 18. pii: S0141-8130(23)04444-6. [Epub ahead of print] 127547

PE12 interaction with TLR4 promotes intracellular survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by suppressing inflammatory response.

Jiajun Zhang, Yingying Cui, Xinxin Zang, Tingting Feng, Fanruo Chen, Hui Wang, Guanghui Dang, Siguo Liu.

  Macrophages serve as the primary immune cells responsible for the innate immune defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection within the host. Specifically, NLRP3, a member of the NLRs family, plays a significant role in conferring resistance against MTB infection. Conversely, MTB evades innate immune killing by impeding the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, although the precise mechanism remains uncertain. In this study, we have identified PE12 (Rv1172c), a member of the PE/PPE family proteins, as an extracellular protein of MTB. PE12 interacts with Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) in macrophages, forming the PE12-TLR4 complex which subsequently inhibits the transcription and expression of NLRP3. As a result, the transcription and secretion of IL-1β are reduced through the PE12-TLR4-NLRP3-IL-1β immune pathway. In vitro and in vivo experiments using a PE12-deficient strain (H37RvΔPE12) demonstrate a weakening of the suppression of the inflammatory response to MTB infection. Our findings highlight the role of the PE12 protein in not only inhibiting the transcription and release of inflammatory cytokines but also mediating the killing of MTB escape macrophages through TLR4 and inducing lung injury in MTB-infected mice. These results provide evidence that PE12 plays a significant role in the inhibition of the host immune response by MTB.

Keywords:  Intracellular survival; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; NLRP3; PE12; TLR4

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127547
Future Microbiol. 2023 Oct 16.

Bacterial synergies and antagonisms affecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence in the human lung, skin and intestine.

Izel Ungor, Yiorgos Apidianakis.

  Pseudomonas aeruginosa requires a significant breach in the host defense to cause an infection. While its virulence factors are well studied, its tropism cannot be explained only by studying its interaction with the host. Why are P. aeruginosa infections so rare in the intestine compared with the lung and skin? There is not enough evidence to claim specificity in virulence factors deployed by P. aeruginosa in each anatomical site, and host physiology differences between the lung and the intestine cannot easily explain the observed differences in virulence. This perspective highlights a relatively overlooked parameter in P. aeruginosa virulence, namely, potential synergies with bacteria found in the human skin and lung, as well as antagonisms with bacteria of the human intestine.

Keywords:  antibiotic resistance; bacterial interaction; colonization; fermentation; microbiota; peptidoglycan; short-chain fatty acids

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2022-0155
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 ;13 1271092

Single-cell analysis and spatial resolution of the gut microbiome.

Bhoomi Madhu, Brittany M Miller, Maayan Levy.

  Over the past decade it has become clear that various aspects of host physiology, metabolism, and immunity are intimately associated with the microbiome and its interactions with the host. Specifically, the gut microbiome composition and function has been shown to play a critical role in the etiology of different intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases. While attempts to identify a common pattern of microbial dysbiosis linked with these diseases have failed, multiple studies show that bacterial communities in the gut are spatially organized and that disrupted spatial organization of the gut microbiome is often a common underlying feature of disease pathogenesis. As a result, focus over the last few years has shifted from analyzing the diversity of gut microbiome by sequencing of the entire microbial community, towards understanding the gut microbiome in spatial context. Defining the composition and spatial heterogeneity of the microbiome is critical to facilitate further understanding of the gut microbiome ecology. Development in single cell genomics approach has advanced our understanding of microbial community structure, however, limitations in approaches exist. Single cell genomics is a very powerful and rapidly growing field, primarily used to identify the genetic composition of microbes. A major challenge is to isolate single cells for genomic analyses. This review summarizes the different approaches to study microbial genomes at single-cell resolution. We will review new techniques for microbial single cell sequencing and summarize how these techniques can be applied broadly to answer many questions related to the microbiome composition and spatial heterogeneity. These methods can be used to fill the gaps in our understanding of microbial communities.

Keywords:  genomics; microbiome; sequencing; single cell; spatial resolution

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1271092
Infect Immun. 2023 Oct 16. e0036523

Legionella pneumophila inhibits type I interferon signaling to avoid cell-intrinsic host cell defense.

Charles N S Allen, Dallas A Banks, Michael Shuster, Stefanie N Vogel, Tamara J O'Connor, Volker Briken.

  The host type I interferon (IFN) response protects against Legionella pneumophila infections. Other bacterial pathogens inhibit type I IFN-mediated cell signaling; however, the interaction between this signaling pathway and L. pneumophila has not been well described. Here, we demonstrate that L. pneumophila inhibits the IFN-β signaling pathway but does not inhibit IFN-γ-mediated cell signaling. The addition of IFN-β to L. pneumophila-infected macrophages limited bacterial growth independently of NOS2 and reactive nitrogen species. The type IV secretion system of L. pneumophila is required to inhibit IFN-β-mediated cell signaling. Finally, we show that the inhibition of the IFN-β signaling pathway occurs downstream of STAT1 and STAT2 phosphorylation. In conclusion, our findings describe a novel host cell signaling pathway inhibited by L. pneumophila via its type IV secretion system.

Keywords:  Legionella pneumophila; immune evasion; interferons; nitric oxide; secretion systems

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.00365-23
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 ;14 1272646

Novel insights into the role of acetyl-CoA producing enzymes in epigenetic regulation.

Marta Russo, Francesco Pileri, Serena Ghisletti.

  Inflammation-dependent changes in gene expression programs in innate immune cells, such as macrophages, involve extensive reprogramming of metabolism. This reprogramming is essential for the production of metabolites required for chromatin modifications, such as acetyl-CoA, and regulate their usage and availability impacting the macrophage epigenome. One of the most transcriptionally induced proinflammatory mediator is nitric oxide (NO), which has been shown to inhibit key metabolic enzymes involved in the production of these metabolites. Recent evidence indicates that NO inhibits mitochondrial enzymes such as pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) in macrophages induced by inflammatory stimulus. PDH is involved in the production of acetyl-CoA, which is essential for chromatin modifications in the nucleus, such as histone acetylation. In addition, acetyl-CoA levels in inflamed macrophages are regulated by ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) and citrate transporter SLC25A1. Interestingly, acetyl-CoA producing enzymes, such as PDH and ACLY, have also been reported to be present in the nucleus and to support the local generation of cofactors such as acetyl-CoA. Here, we will discuss the mechanisms involved in the regulation of acetyl-CoA production by metabolic enzymes, their inhibition by prolonged exposure to inflammation stimuli, their involvement in dynamic inflammatory expression changes and how these emerging findings could have significant implications for the design of novel therapeutic approaches.

Keywords:  acetyl-CoA; chromatin; inflammation; macrophages; mitochondrial enzymes; nitric oxide; transcription

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1272646
Biotechnol Adv. 2023 Oct 14. pii: S0734-9750(23)00179-9. [Epub ahead of print] 108272

Advances in synthetic biology toolboxes paving the way for mechanistic understanding and strain engineering of gut commensal Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium spp.

Yang Tan, Jing Liang, Mingchi Lai, Sai Wan, Xiaozhou Luo, Fuli Li.

  The gut microbiota plays a significant role in influencing human immunity, metabolism, development, and behavior by producing a wide range of metabolites. While there is accumulating data on several microbiota-derived small molecules that contribute to host health and disease, our knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolite-mediated microbe-host interactions remains limited. This is primarily due to the lack of efficient genetic tools for most commensal bacteria, especially those belonging to the dominant phyla Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium spp., which hinders the application of synthetic biology to these gut commensal bacteria. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in synthetic biology tools developed for the two dominant genera, as well as their applications in deciphering the mechanisms of microbe-host interactions mediated by microbiota-derived small molecules. We also discuss the potential biomedical applications of engineering commensal bacteria using these toolboxes. Finally, we share our perspective on the future development of synthetic biology tools for a better understanding of small molecule-mediated microbe-host interactions and their engineering for biomedical purposes.

Keywords:  Bacteroides spp.; Clostridium spp.; Gut commensal bacteria; Mechanistic understanding; Microbe-host interactions; Microbiome; Microbiota-derived small molecules; Strain engineering; Synthetic biology toolbox

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108272
Bull Exp Biol Med. 2023 Oct 20.

Angiogenin as a Possible Mediator of Macrophage-Mediated Regulation of Fibroblast Functions.

A A Maksimova, E Ya Shevela, M A Tikhonova, T V Tyrinova, S S Bogachev, A A Ostanin, E R Chernykh.

  We studied angiogenin production by human macrophages and evaluated the role of this factor in the macrophage-mediated regulation of fibroblasts. All macrophage subtypes, and especially the efferocytosis-polarized macrophages, M2(LS), actively produced angiogenin. Exogenous recombinant angiogenin dose-dependently enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of dermal fibroblasts. The addition of the angiogenin inhibitor to fibroblasts cultures suppressed the stimulating effect of exogenous angiogenin or M2(LS) conditioned media. These findings indicate the involvement of angiogenin in the macrophage-mediated paracrine regulation of skin fibroblasts.

Keywords:  angiogenin; fibroblasts; macrophages; repair

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10517-023-05921-z
Eur J Immunol. 2023 Oct 18. e2350404

Aberrant neutrophil degranulation in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 partially remains for six months.

RECoVERED study group

  Neutrophils are important players in COVID-19, contributing to tissue damage by release of inflammatory mediators, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neutrophil elastase. Longitudinal studies on the effects of COVID-19 on neutrophil phenotype and function are scarce. Here, we longitudinally investigated the phenotype and degranulation of neutrophils in COVID-19 patients (28 non-hospitalized and 35 hospitalized patients) compared to 17 healthy donors (HDs). We assessed phenotype, degranulation, CXCL8 (IL-8) release and ROS generation within 8 days, at one or six month(s) after COVID-19 diagnosis. For degranulation and ROS production, we stimulated neutrophils, either with single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and N-Formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). During active COVID-19, neutrophils from hospitalized patients were more immature than from HDs and were impaired in degranulation and ROS generation, while neutrophils from non-hospitalized patients only demonstrated reduced CD66b+ granule release and ROS production. Baseline CD63 expression, indicative of primary granule release, and CXCL8 production by neutrophils from hospitalized patients were elevated for up to six months. These findings show that patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, but not non-hospitalized patients, demonstrated an aberrant neutrophil phenotype, degranulation, CXCL8 release and ROS generation that partially persists up to six months after infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords:  COVID-19; CXCL8; ROS; degranulation; neutrophils

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/eji.202350404
PeerJ. 2023 ;11 e16092

Macrophage polarization in tissue fibrosis.

Huidan Yang, Hao Cheng, Rongrong Dai, Lili Shang, Xiaoying Zhang, Hongyan Wen.

  Fibrosis can occur in all major organs with relentless progress, ultimately leading to organ failure and potentially death. Unfortunately, current clinical treatments cannot prevent or reverse tissue fibrosis. Thus, new and effective antifibrotic therapeutics are urgently needed. In recent years, a growing body of research shows that macrophages are involved in fibrosis. Macrophages are highly heterogeneous, polarizing into different phenotypes. Some studies have found that regulating macrophage polarization can inhibit the development of inflammation and cancer. However, the exact mechanism of macrophage polarization in different tissue fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. This review will discuss the major signaling pathways relevant to macrophage-driven fibrosis and profibrotic macrophage polarization, the role of macrophage polarization in fibrosis of lung, kidney, liver, skin, and heart, potential therapeutics targets, and investigational drugs currently in development, and hopefully, provide a useful review for the future treatment of fibrosis.

Keywords:  Cardiac fibrosis; Kidney fibrosis; Liver fibrosis; Lung fibrosis; Macrophage polarization; Myofibroblasts; Skin fibrosis; Type 2 macrophage

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.16092
J Invest Dermatol. 2023 Oct 12. pii: S0022-202X(23)02965-2. [Epub ahead of print]

EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX REMODELING IN ATOPIC DERMATITIS HARNESSES THE ONSET OF AN ASTHMATIC PHENOTYPE AND IS A POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ATOPIC MARCH.

Patrick Graff, Dana Woerz, Jenny Wilzopolski, Anne Voss, Jana Sarrazin, Travis M Blimkie, January Weiner, Olivia Kershaw, Preety Panwar, Tillie Hackett, Susanne Lau, Dieter Brömme, Dieter Beule, Young-Ae Lee, Robert E W Hancock, Achim D Gruber, Wolfgang Bäumer, Sarah Hedtrich.

  The development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infancy, and subsequent allergies such as asthma in later childhood, is known as the atopic march. The mechanism is largely unknown, yet the course of disease indicates an inter-epithelial crosstalk, through the onset of inflammation in the skin and progression to another mucosal epithelium. Here, we investigated if and how skin-lung epithelial crosstalk contributes to the development of the atopic march. First, we emulated inter-epithelial crosstalk through indirect co-culture of bioengineered atopic-like skin disease models and three-dimensional bronchial epithelial models triggering an asthma-like phenotype in the latter. A subsequent secretome analysis identified thrombospondin-1, CD44, complement factor C3, fibronectin, and syndecan-4 as potentially relevant skin-derived mediators. As these mediators are extracellular matrix (ECM)-related proteins, we then studied the involvement of the ECM, unveiling distinct proteomic, transcriptomic, and ultrastructural differences in atopic samples. The latter indicated ECM remodeling triggering the release of the above-mentioned mediators. In vivo mouse data showed that exposure to these mediators dysregulated activated circadian clock genes which are increasingly discussed in the context of atopic diseases and asthma development. Our data point toward the existence of a skin-lung axis that could contribute to the atopic march driven by skin ECM remodeling.

Keywords:  allergic asthma; atopic dermatitis; atopic march; extracellular matrix remodeling; skin matrisome

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2023.09.278
Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2023 Oct 16. 1-10

Inhaler Steroid Use Changes Oral and Airway Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome Profile in Asthma Patients.

Kıvılcım Oğuzülgen, Ayse Bilge Öztürk, Ayşe Bacceoğlu, Ömür Aydın, Gözde Köycü Buhari, Ebru Damadoğlu, Ferda Öner Erkekol, Özlem Göksel, Gül Karakaya, A Fuat Kalyoncu, Füsun Kalpaklıoğlu, Dilşad Mungan, Haluk Türktaş, Leyla Pur Özyiğit, Çağrı Ergin, Merve Erdoğan, Ayşe Kalkancı.

   INTRODUCTION: The full spectrum of bacterial and fungal species in adult asthma and the effect of inhaled corticosteroid use is not well described. The aim was to collect mouthwash and induced sputum samples from newly diagnosed asthma patients in the pretreatment period and in chronic asthma patients while undergoing regular maintenance inhaled corticosteroid therapy, in order to demonstrate the bacterial and fungal microbiome profile.
METHODS: The study included 28 asthmatic patients on inhaler steroid therapy, 25 steroid-naive asthmatics, and 24 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was isolated from induced sputum and mouthwash samples. Analyses were performed using bacterial primers selected from the 16S rRNA region for the bacterial genome and "panfungal" primers selected from the 5.8S rRNA region for the fungal genome.
RESULTS: Dominant genera in mouthwash samples of steroid-naive asthmatics were Neisseria, Haemophilus, and Rothia. The oral microbiota of asthmatic patients on inhaler steroid treatment included Neisseria, Rothia, and Veillonella species. Abundant genera in induced sputum samples of steroid-naive asthma patients were Actinomyces, Granulicatella, Fusobacterium, Peptostreptococcus, and Atopobium. Sputum microbiota of asthma patients taking inhaler steroids were dominated by Prevotella and Porphyromonas. Mucor plumbeus and Malassezia restricta species were abundant in the airways of steroid-naive asthma patients. Choanephora infundibulifera and Malassezia restricta became dominant in asthma patients taking inhaled steroids.
CONCLUSION: The oral and airway microbiota consist of different bacterial and fungal communities in healthy and asthmatic patients. Inhaler steroid use may influence the composition of the oral and airway microbiota.

Keywords:  Airway; Airway microbiome; Asthma; Inhaler steroid; Lung microbiome; Microbiome; Oral microbiome; Steroid

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1159/000531866
Eur J Immunol. 2023 Oct 20. e2250337

Single-cell phenotyping of bacteria combined with deep sequencing for improved contextualization of microbiome analyses.

Lisa Budzinski, Victoria V Goetze, Hyun-Dong Chang.

  Great effort was made to characterize the bacterial communities inhabiting the human body as a factor in disease, resulting in the realization that a wide spectrum of diseases is associated with an altered composition of the microbiome. However, the identification of disease-relevant bacteria has been hindered by the high cross-sectional diversity of individual microbiomes, and in most cases, it remains unclear whether the observed alterations are cause or consequence of disease. Hence, innovative analysis approaches are required that enable inquiries of the microbiome beyond mere taxonomic cataloguing. This review highlights the utility of microbiota flow cytometry, a single-cell analysis platform to directly interrogate cellular interactions, cell conditions and crosstalk with the host's immune system within the microbiome to take into consideration the role of microbes as critical interaction partners of the host and the spectrum of microbiome alterations, beyond compositional changes. In conjunction with advanced sequencing approaches it could reveal the genetic potential of target bacteria and advance our understanding of taxonomic diversity and gene usage in the context of the microenvironment. Single-cell bacterial phenotyping has the potential to change our perspective on the human microbiome and empower microbiome research for the development of microbiome-based therapy approaches and personalised medicine. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords:  deep sequencing; microbiome analysis; single-cell phenotyping

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/eji.202250337
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2023 Oct 17.

BPIFB1 loss alters airway mucus properties and diminishes mucociliary clearance.

Lauren J Donoghue, Matthew R Markovetz, Cameron B Morrison, Gang Chen, Kathryn M McFadden, Taraneh Sadritabrizi, Mark I Gutay, Takafumi Kato, Troy D Rogers, Jazmin Y Snead, Alessandra Livraghi-Butrico, Brian Button, Camille Ehre, Barbara R Grubb, David B Hill, Samir N P Kelada.

  Airway mucociliary clearance (MCC) is required for host defense and is often diminished in chronic lung diseases. Effective clearance depends upon coordinated actions of the airway epithelium and a mobile mucus layer. Dysregulation of the primary secreted airway mucin proteins, MUC5B and MUC5AC, is associated with a reduction in the rate of MCC; however, how other secreted proteins impact the integrity of the mucus layer and MCC remains unclear. We previously identified the gene Bpifb1/Lplunc1 as a regulator of airway MUC5B protein levels using genetic approaches. Here, we show that BPIFB1 is required for effective MCC in vivo using Bpifb1 knockout (KO) mice. Reduced MCC in Bpifb1 KO mice occurred in the absence of defects in epithelial ion transport or reduced ciliary beat frequency. Loss of BPIFB1 in vivo and in vitro altered biophysical and biochemical properties of mucus that have been previously linked to impaired MCC. Finally, we detected colocalization of BPIFB1 and MUC5B in secretory granules in mice and in the protein mesh of secreted mucus in human airway epithelia cultures. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that BPIFB1 is an important component of the mucociliary apparatus in mice and a key component of the mucus protein network.

Keywords:  mucin; mucociliary clearance; mucus; rheology; viscoelasticity

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/ajplung.00390.2022
Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023 Oct 17.

Response to Letter to the Editor: Nasal nitric oxide and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: Is it a matter of inflammation or mechanical obstruction?

Vincent Wu, John M Lee.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.23292
Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2023 Oct 14.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus Modulates Lung Inflammation and Mitigates Gut Dysbiosis in a Murine Model of Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome.

Jéssica Aparecida Vasconcelos, Amanda Sodre Mota, Fabiana Olímpio, Paloma Cristina Rosa, Nilsa Damaceno-Rodrigues, Rodolfo de Paula Vieira, Carla Romano Taddei, Flavio Aimbire.

  The asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) presents lung inflammation similar to both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Due to the immune response between the lung and gut, it is possible that ACOS individuals present gut dysbiosis. Due to therapeutic limitations in ACOS, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lr) have received attention once Lr has been effective in asthma and COPD. However, there is no data about the Lr effect on both lung inflammation and gut dysbiosis in ACOS. Thus, our study investigated the Lr effect on lung inflammation, bronchoconstriction, airway remodeling, and gut dysbiosis in the murine ACOS model. Treated mice with Lr were exposed to HDM and cigarette smoke to induce ACOS. Sixty days after ACOS induction, mice were euthanized. Lung inflammation was evaluated in leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), airway remodeling, cytokine secretion, and transcription factor expression in the lung. The gut microbiota was assayed by 16S mRNA sequencing from a fecal sample. Leukocyte population, bronchial hyperreactivity, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and airway remodeling were attenuated in Lr-treated ACOS mice. Likewise, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, STAT6 and GATA3, as well as IL-17, IL-21, IL-22, STAT3, and RORɣt were reduced after Lr. In addition, IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ, STAT1, and T-bet as well as IL-10, TGF-β, STAT5, and Foxp3 were restored after the Lr. Firmicutes was reduced, while Deferribacteres was increased after Lr. Likewise, Lr decreased Staphylococcus and increased Mucispirillum in ACOS mice. Lr improves fecal bacterial β-diversity. Our findings show for the first time the Lr effect on lung inflammation and gut dysbiosis in murine ACOS.

Keywords:  ACOS; Airway remodeling; Gut dysbiosis; Probiotic; STAT signaling; Th cell cytokines

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12602-023-10167-2
Adv Biol (Weinh). 2023 Oct 15. e2300165

Microphysiological Models of Lung Epithelium-Alveolar Macrophage Co-Cultures to Study Chronic Lung Disease.

Dave A Lagowala, Arabelis Wally, Kai Wilmsen, Byunggik Kim, Bonnie Yeung-Luk, Jeongseob Choi, Carter Swaby, Matthew Luk, Laine Feller, Baishakhi Ghosh, Austin Niedrkofler, Ethan Tieng, Ethan Sherman, Daniel Chen, Nisha Upadya, Rachel Zhang, Deok-Ho Kim, Venkataramana Sidhaye.

  The interactions between immune cells and epithelial cells influence the progression of many respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In vitro models allow for the examination of cells in controlled environments. However, these models lack the complex 3D architecture and vast multicellular interactions between the lung resident cells and infiltrating immune cells that can mediate cellular response to insults. In this study, three complementary microphysiological systems are presented to delineate the effects of cigarette smoke and respiratory disease on the lung epithelium. First, the Transwell system allows the co-culture of pulmonary immune and epithelial cells to evaluate cellular and monolayer phenotypic changes in response to cigarette smoke exposure. Next, the human and mouse precision-cut lung slices system provides a physiologically relevant model to study the effects of chronic insults like cigarette smoke with the dissection of specific interaction of immune cell subtypes within the structurally complex tissue environment. Finally, the lung-on-a-chip model provides an adaptable system for live imaging of polarized epithelial tissues that mimic the in vivo environment of the airways. Using a combination of these models, a complementary approach is provided to better address the intricate mechanisms of lung disease.

Keywords:  COPD; PCLS; alveolar macrophages; cigarette smoke; immune cells co-cultures; lung epithelium; microphysiological systems

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/adbi.202300165
Front Immunol. 2023 ;14 1243537

Eotaxin-1/CCL11 promotes cellular senescence in human-derived fibroblasts through pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory pathways.

Patrícia Lavandoski, Vinícius Pierdoná, Rafael Moura Maurmann, Lucas Kich Grun, Fatima T C R Guma, Florencia María Barbé-Tuana.

   Introduction: Eotaxin-1/CCL11 is a pivotal chemokine crucial for eosinophil homing to the lungs of asthmatic patients. Recent studies also suggest that CCL11 is involved in the aging process, as it is upregulated in elderly, and correlated with shorter telomere length in leukocytes from asthmatic children. Despite its potential pro-aging effects, the precise contribution of CCL11 and the underlying mechanisms involved in the promotion of cellular senescence remains unclear. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to explore the role of CCL11 on senescence development and the signaling pathways activated by this chemokine in lung fibroblasts.
Methods: To investigate the targets potentially modulated by CCL11, we performed an in silico analysis using PseudoCell. We validated in vitro the activation of these targets in the human lung fibroblast cell line MRC-5 following rhCCL11 exposure. Finally, we performed differential gene expression analysis in human airway epithelial cells of asthmatic patients to assess CCL11 signaling and activation of additional senescent markers.
Results: Our study revealed that eotaxin-1/CCL11 promote reactive oxygen secretion (ROS) production in lung fibroblasts, accompanied by increased activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) and p-TP53 and γH2AX. These modifications were accompanied by cellular senescence promotion and increased secretion of senescence-associated secretory phenotype inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8. Furthermore, our data show that airway epithelial lung cells from atopic asthmatic patients overexpress CCL11 along with aging markers such as CDKN2A (p16INK4a) and SERPINE1.
Discussion: These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the pro-aging effects of CCL11 in the lungs of asthmatic patients. Understanding the role of CCL11 on senescence development may have important implications for the treatment of age-related lung diseases, such as asthma.

Keywords:  CCL11; asthma; eotaxin-1; fibroblasts; lung; premature aging; senescence

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1243537
JAMA Dermatol. 2023 Oct 18.

Dupilumab, Atopic Dermatitis, and Mycosis Fungoides-New Insights on an Evolving Story.

Joan Guitart.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2023.3846
Methods Mol Biol. 2024 ;2725 213-223

Primary Human Nasal Epithelial Cell Culture.

Mystica Terrance, Tarini Gunawardena, Hong Ouyang, Julie Avolio, Wenming Duan, Sowmya Thanikachalam, Theo J Moraes.

  Primary human nasal epithelial cell (HNEC) cultures serve as an excellent model in studying physiology, disease, and therapy related to the respiratory tract. The current chapter details protocols from sample collection to culturing HNEC under air-liquid interface (ALI) conditions to generate well-differentiated, functional airway cultures including displaying beating motile cilia.

Keywords:  Air-liquid interface; Nasal airway multiciliated epithelium; Primary cell culture

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3507-0_13
Methods Mol Biol. 2024 ;2725 27-53

SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Human Primary Nasal Multiciliated Epithelial Cells Grown on Air-Liquid Interface Cultures.

Maria Victoria Humbert, Christopher J McCormick, Cosma Mirella Spalluto.

  Respiratory epithelial cells fail to exhibit natural phenotypic and morphological characteristics when grown in standard cell culture conditions. To better understanding respiratory pathogen host-cell interactions in the airways, one approach is to instead grow and differentiate these cells at an air-liquid interface (ALI). This chapter provides the working protocols used in our lab for producing ALI cultures, infecting them with SARS-CoV-2 and monitoring viral replication.

Keywords:  ACE-2; Air-liquid interface culture; Cilia; Primary nasal epithelial cells; SARS-CoV-2

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3507-0_2
Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. 2023 Oct 06.

A Monocytic Barrier to the Humanization of Immunodeficient Mice.

Emily Du, Marcus Muench.

  Mice with severe immunodeficiencies have become very important tools for studying foreign cells in an in vivo environment. Xenotransplants can be used to model cells from many species, although most often, mice are humanized through the transplantation of human cells or tissues to meet the needs of medical research. The development of immunodeficient mice is reviewed leading up to the current state-of-the-art strains, such as the NOD-scid-gamma (NSG) mouse. NSG mice are excellent hosts for human hematopoietic stem cell transplants or immune reconstitution through transfusion of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However, barriers to full hematopoietic engraftment still remain; notably, the survival of human cells in the circulation is brief, which limits overall hematological and immune reconstitution. Reports have indicated a critical role for monocytic cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, in the clearance of xenogeneic cells from circulation. Various aspects of the NOD genetic background that affect monocytic cell growth, maturation, and function that are favorable to human cell transplantation are discussed. Important receptors, such as SIRPα, that form a part of the innate immune system and enable the recognition and phagocytosis of foreign cells by monocytic cells are reviewed. The development of humanized mouse models has taken decades of work in creating more immunodeficient mice, genetic modification of these mice to express human genes, and refinement of transplant techniques to optimize engraftment. Future advances may focus on the monocytic cells of the host to find ways for further engraftment and survival of xenogeneic cells.

Keywords:  Blood Cells; Dendritic Cells; Humanized Mice; Macrophages; Mice; Myeloid Cells; SCID; Transplantation.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2174/011574888X263597231001164351
Turk J Pediatr. 2023 ;pii: 2626. [Epub ahead of print]65(5): 758-768

Evaluation of toll-like receptors 2 and 4 polymorphism and intestinal microbiota in children with food allergies.

Mehmet Kılıç, Elif Beyazıt, Ebru Etem Önalan, Tuğçe Kaymaz, Erdal Taşkın.

   BACKGROUND: Mutual regulation between immune system and gut microbiota is achieved through several mechanisms including the engagement of toll-like receptors (TLRs) which is expressed on numerous cell types. In this study we aimed to explore the association between food allergies and TLR gene polymorphisms in association with gut microbiota.
METHODS: Toll-like receptors polymorphism frequencies and some bacteria in the gut microbiota in 130 infants aged 1-24 months with egg and/or milk allergy in a prospective cohort were compared with 110 non-food allergic controls. Four candidate polymorphisms (TLR2 rs1898830/rs5743708 and TLR4 rs4986790/rs4986791) were genotyped by allelic discrimination polymerase chain rection (PCR) method. Gut microbiota analysis was achieved by using high-throughput sequencing.
RESULTS: The TLR4 rs4986790 (Asp299Gly) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) major/minor allele frequency was 0.788/0.212 in food allergy patients and 0.719/0.280 in controls (p=0.017). There was a statistically significant difference between groups in terms of genotype frequencies (AA, AG, GG). Gut microbiota analysis revealed increased Firmicutes phylum in stool of the patients with food allergy. Except for TLR4 rs4986791 (Thr399lle) allele, the other TLR polymorphisms were not associated with food allergies in children. When the bacteria in the intestinal microbiota and TLR2 and TLR4 gene polymorphisms were compared; we determined a statistically significant increase in Bifidobacterium concentration in the intestinal microbiota in TLR4 rs4986791 CT heterozygous genotype (p=0.004).
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a partial role of TLR4 gene polymorphism and gut microbiota in the development of food allergies. Future work in this area will be required to clarify the roles of different microbial strains that modulate gut microbiota composition and function in conjunction with TLR transcription pathways.

Keywords:  Toll-like receptor 2; Toll-like receptor 4; children; food allergy; genetic polymorphism; gut microbiota

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.24953/turkjped.2023.389
Cell Commun Signal. 2023 Oct 20. 21(1): 297

Extracellular vesicles of the probiotic bacteria E. coli O83 activate innate immunity and prevent allergy in mice.

Anna Marlene Schmid, Agnieszka Razim, Magdalena Wysmołek, Daniela Kerekes, Melissa Haunstetter, Paul Kohl, Georgii Brazhnikov, Nora Geissler, Michael Thaler, Eliška Krčmářová, Martin Šindelář, Tamara Weinmayer, Jiří Hrdý, Katy Schmidt, Peter Nejsum, Bradley Whitehead, Johan Palmfeldt, Stefan Schild, Aleksandra Inić-Kanada, Ursula Wiedermann, Irma Schabussova.

   BACKGROUND: E. coli O83 (Colinfant Newborn) is a Gram-negative (G-) probiotic bacterium used in the clinic. When administered orally, it reduces allergic sensitisation but not allergic asthma. Intranasal administration offers a non-invasive and convenient delivery method. This route bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and provides direct access to the airways, which are the target of asthma prevention. G- bacteria such as E. coli O83 release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) to communicate with the environment. Here we investigate whether intranasally administered E. coli O83 OMVs (EcO83-OMVs) can reduce allergic airway inflammation in mice.
METHODS: EcO83-OMVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterised their number, morphology (shape and size), composition (proteins and lipopolysaccharide; LPS), recognition by innate receptors (using transfected HEK293 cells) and immunomodulatory potential (in naïve splenocytes and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells; BMDCs). Their allergy-preventive effect was investigated in a mouse model of ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation.
RESULTS: EcO83-OMVs are spherical nanoparticles with a size of about 110 nm. They contain LPS and protein cargo. We identified a total of 1120 proteins, 136 of which were enriched in OMVs compared to parent bacteria. Proteins from the flagellum dominated. OMVs activated the pattern recognition receptors TLR2/4/5 as well as NOD1 and NOD2. EcO83-OMVs induced the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in splenocytes and BMDCs. Intranasal administration of EcO83-OMVs inhibited airway hyperresponsiveness, and decreased airway eosinophilia, Th2 cytokine production and mucus secretion.
CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time that intranasally administered OMVs from probiotic G- bacteria have an anti-allergic effect. Our study highlights the advantages of OMVs as a safe platform for the prophylactic treatment of allergy. Video Abstract.

Keywords:  Allergic airway inflammation; Extracellular vesicles; Microbiota and innate immunity; Nasal route of administration; Outer membrane vesicles

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-023-01329-4
Cell Res. 2023 Oct 20.

Hematopoietic memory of severe COVID-19 infection.

Anaisa V Ferreira, Mihai G Netea.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-023-00885-1