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Micek A, Bolesławska I, Jagielski P, Konopka K, Waśkiewicz A, Witkowska AM, Przysławski J, Godos J. Association of dietary intake of polyphenols, lignans, and phytosterols with immune-stimulating microbiota and COVID-19 risk in a group of Polish men and women. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1241016. [PMID: 37599696 PMCID: PMC10436747 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1241016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Devastating consequences of COVID-19 disease enhanced the role of promoting prevention-focused practices. Among targeted efforts, diet is regarded as one of the potential factors which can affect immune function and optimal nutrition is postulated as the method of augmentation of people's viral resistance. As epidemiological evidence is scarce, the present study aimed to explore the association between dietary intake of total polyphenols, lignans and plant sterols and the abundance of immunomodulatory gut microbiota such as Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli and the risk of developing COVID-19 disease. Methods Demographic data, dietary habits, physical activity as well as the composition of body and gut microbiota were analyzed in a sample of 95 young healthy individuals. Dietary polyphenol, lignan and plant sterol intakes have been retrieved based on the amount of food consumed by the participants, the phytochemical content was assessed in laboratory analysis and using available databases. Results For all investigated polyphenols and phytosterols, except campesterol, every unit increase in the tertile of intake category was associated with a decrease in the odds of contracting COVID-19. The risk reduction ranged from several dozen percent to 70 %, depending on the individual plant-based chemical, and after controlling for basic covariates it was statistically significant for secoisolariciresinol (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.11-0.61), total phytosterols (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.22-0.95) and for stigmasterols (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.14-0.72). We found an inverse association between increased β-sitosterol intake and phytosterols in total and the occurrence of Escherichia coli in stool samples outside reference values, with 72% (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.08-0.86) and 66% (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.10-1.08) reduced odds of abnormal level of bacteria for the highest compared with the lowest tertile of phytochemical consumption. Additionally, there was a trend of more frequent presence of Enterococcus spp. at relevant level in people with a higher intake of lariciresinol. Conclusion The beneficial effects of polyphenols and phytosterols should be emphasized and these plant-based compounds should be regarded in the context of their utility as antiviral agents preventing influenza-type infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Micek
- Statistical Laboratory, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Izabela Bolesławska
- Department of Bromatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Paweł Jagielski
- Department of Nutrition and Drug Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Kamil Konopka
- Department of Oncology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Waśkiewicz
- Department of Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institute of Cardiology, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Anna Maria Witkowska
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Juliusz Przysławski
- Department of Bromatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Justyna Godos
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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2
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Ahsan K, Anwar MA, Munawar N. Gut microbiome therapeutic modulation to alleviate drug-induced hepatic damage in COVID-19 patients. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:1708-1720. [PMID: 37077515 PMCID: PMC10107217 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i11.1708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus, its symptoms, treatment, and post-COVID-19 effects have been a major focus of research since 2020. In addition to respiratory symptoms, different clinical variants of the virus have been associated with dynamic symptoms and multiorgan diseases, including liver abnormalities. The release of cytokines by the activation of innate immune cells during viral infection and the high doses of drugs used for COVID-19 treatment are considered major drivers of liver injury in COVID-19 patients. The degree of hepatic inflammation in patients suffering from chronic liver disease and having COVID-19 could be severe and can be estimated through different liver chemistry abnormality markers. Gut microbiota influences liver chemistry through its metabolites. Gut dysbiosis during COVID-19 treatment can promote liver inflammation. Here, we highlighted the bidirectional association of liver physiology and gut microbiota (gut-liver axis) and its potential to manipulate drug-induced chemical abnormalities in the livers of COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khansa Ahsan
- Department of Chemistry, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Munir Ahmad Anwar
- Industrial Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (NIBGE-C, PIEAS), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Nayla Munawar
- Department of Chemistry, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
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3
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Reyes M, Leff SM, Gentili M, Hacohen N, Blainey PC. Microscale combinatorial stimulation of human myeloid cells reveals inflammatory priming by viral ligands. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade5090. [PMID: 36827376 PMCID: PMC9956118 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade5090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cells sense a wide variety of signals and respond by adopting complex transcriptional states. Most single-cell profiling is carried out today at cellular baseline, blind to cells' potential spectrum of functional responses. Exploring the space of cellular responses experimentally requires access to a large combinatorial perturbation space. Single-cell genomics coupled with multiplexing techniques provide a useful tool for characterizing cell states across several experimental conditions. However, current multiplexing strategies require programmatic handling of many samples in macroscale arrayed formats, precluding their application in large-scale combinatorial analysis. Here, we introduce StimDrop, a method that combines antibody-based cell barcoding with parallel droplet processing to automatically formulate cell population × stimulus combinations in a microfluidic device. We applied StimDrop to profile the effects of 512 sequential stimulation conditions on human dendritic cells. Our results demonstrate that priming with viral ligands potentiates hyperinflammatory responses to a second stimulus, and show transcriptional signatures consistent with this phenomenon in myeloid cells of patients with severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Reyes
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samantha M. Leff
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Nir Hacohen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paul C. Blainey
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
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4
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Nobre JG, Delgadinho M, Silva C, Mendes J, Mateus V, Ribeiro E, Costa DA, Lopes M, Pedroso AI, Trigueiros F, Rodrigues MI, de Sousa CL, Brito M. Gut microbiota profile of COVID-19 patients: Prognosis and risk stratification (MicroCOVID-19 study). Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1035422. [PMID: 36483197 PMCID: PMC9723140 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1035422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gut microbiota is intrinsically associated with the immune system and can promote or suppress infectious diseases, especially viral infections. This study aims to characterize and compare the microbiota profile of infected patients with SARS-CoV-2 (milder or severe symptoms), non-infected people, and recovered patients. This is a national, transversal, observational, multicenter, and case-control study that analyzed the microbiota of COVID-19 patients with mild or severe symptoms at home, at the hospital, or in the intensive care unit, patients already recovered, and healthy volunteers cohabiting with COVID-19 patients. DNA was isolated from stool samples and sequenced in a NGS platform. A demographic questionnaire was also applied. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS. RESULTS Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratios were found to be significantly lower in infected patients (1.61 and 2.57) compared to healthy volunteers (3.23) and recovered patients (3.89). Furthermore, the microbiota composition differed significantly between healthy volunteers, mild and severe COVID-19 patients, and recovered patients. Furthermore, Escherichia coli, Actinomyces naeslundii, and Dorea longicatena were shown to be more frequent in severe cases. The most common COVID-19 symptoms were linked to certain microbiome groups. CONCLUSION We can conclude that microbiota composition is significantly affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection and may be used to predict COVID-19 clinical evolution. Therefore, it will be possible to better allocate healthcare resources and better tackle future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Guilherme Nobre
- Faculty of Medicine, Lisbon University, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- PTSurg – Portuguese Surgical Research Collaborative, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mariana Delgadinho
- H&TRC- Health and Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carina Silva
- H&TRC- Health and Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Mendes
- H&TRC- Health and Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vanessa Mateus
- H&TRC- Health and Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Edna Ribeiro
- H&TRC- Health and Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diogo Alpuim Costa
- Breast Cancer Unit, CUF Oncologia, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Lopes
- Departamento de Pneumologia, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal
| | - Ana Isabel Pedroso
- Serviço de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital de Cascais Dr. José de Almeida, Cascais, Portugal
| | - Frederico Trigueiros
- Departamento de Medicina Interna I, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte – Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Inês Rodrigues
- Departamento de Medicina Interna I, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte – Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Miguel Brito
- H&TRC- Health and Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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5
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Clerbaux LA, Mayasich SA, Muñoz A, Soares H, Petrillo M, Albertini MC, Lanthier N, Grenga L, Amorim MJ. Gut as an Alternative Entry Route for SARS-CoV-2: Current Evidence and Uncertainties of Productive Enteric Infection in COVID-19. J Clin Med 2022; 11:5691. [PMID: 36233559 PMCID: PMC9573230 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11195691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut has been proposed as a potential alternative entry route for SARS-CoV-2. This was mainly based on the high levels of SARS-CoV-2 receptor expressed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the observations of GI disorders (such as diarrhea) in some COVID-19 patients and the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in feces. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. It has been proposed that SARS-CoV-2 can productively infect enterocytes, damaging the intestinal barrier and contributing to inflammatory response, which might lead to GI manifestations, including diarrhea. Here, we report a methodological approach to assess the evidence supporting the sequence of events driving SARS-CoV-2 enteric infection up to gut adverse outcomes. Exploring evidence permits to highlight knowledge gaps and current inconsistencies in the literature and to guide further research. Based on the current insights on SARS-CoV-2 intestinal infection and transmission, we then discuss the potential implication on clinical practice, including on long COVID. A better understanding of the GI implication in COVID-19 is still needed to improve disease management and could help identify innovative therapies or preventive actions targeting the GI tract.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sally A. Mayasich
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Aquatic Sciences Center at US EPA, Duluth, MN 55804, USA
| | - Amalia Muñoz
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 2440 Geel, Belgium
| | - Helena Soares
- Laboratory of Human Immunobiology and Pathogenesis, iNOVA4Health, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas—Nova Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | | | - Nicolas Lanthier
- Laboratory of Hepatogastroenterology, Service d’Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, UCLouvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lucia Grenga
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Paris, France
| | - Maria-Joao Amorim
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Lisbon, Portugal
- Católica Biomedical Research Centre, Católica Medical School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal
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6
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Rodrigues PB, Gomes GF, Angelim MKSC, Souza GF, Muraro SP, Toledo-Teixeira DA, Rattis BAC, Passos AS, Pral LP, de Rezende Rodovalho V, dos Santos P. Gomes AB, Matheus VA, Antunes ASLM, Crunfli F, Antunes KH, de Souza APD, Consonni SR, Leiria LO, Alves-Filho JC, Cunha TM, Moraes-Vieira PMM, Proença-Módena JL, R. Vinolo MA. Impact of Microbiota Depletion by Antibiotics on SARS-CoV-2 Infection of K18-hACE2 Mice. Cells 2022; 11:2572. [PMID: 36010648 PMCID: PMC9406363 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and experimental data indicate that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection is associated with significant changes in the composition and function of intestinal microbiota. However, the relevance of these effects for SARS-CoV-2 pathophysiology is unknown. In this study, we analyzed the impact of microbiota depletion after antibiotic treatment on the clinical and immunological responses of K18-hACE2 mice to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mice were treated with a combination of antibiotics (kanamycin, gentamicin, metronidazole, vancomycin, and colistin, Abx) for 3 days, and 24 h later, they were infected with SARS-CoV-2 B lineage. Here, we show that more than 80% of mice succumbed to infection by day 11 post-infection. Treatment with Abx had no impact on mortality. However, Abx-treated mice presented better clinical symptoms, with similar weight loss between infected-treated and non-treated groups. We observed no differences in lung and colon histopathological scores or lung, colon, heart, brain and kidney viral load between groups on day 5 of infection. Despite some minor differences in the expression of antiviral and inflammatory markers in the lungs and colon, no robust change was observed in Abx-treated mice. Together, these findings indicate that microbiota depletion has no impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Brito Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Immunoinflammation, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Freitas Gomes
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
| | - Monara K. S. C. Angelim
- Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | - Gabriela F. Souza
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil or
| | - Stefanie Primon Muraro
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil or
| | - Daniel A. Toledo-Teixeira
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil or
| | - Bruna Amanda Cruz Rattis
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
| | - Amanda Stephane Passos
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
| | - Laís Passarielo Pral
- Laboratory of Immunoinflammation, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | - Vinícius de Rezende Rodovalho
- Laboratory of Immunoinflammation, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | | | - Valquíria Aparecida Matheus
- Laboratory of Immunoinflammation, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | | | - Fernanda Crunfli
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | - Krist Helen Antunes
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90000-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Duarte de Souza
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90000-000, Brazil
| | - Sílvio Roberto Consonni
- Laboratory of Citochemistry and Immunocitochemistry, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | - Luiz Osório Leiria
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
| | - José Carlos Alves-Filho
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
| | - Thiago M. Cunha
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14000-000, Brazil
| | - Pedro M. M. Moraes-Vieira
- Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | - José Luiz Proença-Módena
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil or
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurélio R. Vinolo
- Laboratory of Immunoinflammation, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13000-000, Brazil
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7
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Prasad R, Patton MJ, Floyd JL, Fortmann S, DuPont M, Harbour A, Wright J, Lamendella R, Stevens BR, Oudit GY, Grant MB. Plasma Microbiome in COVID-19 Subjects: An Indicator of Gut Barrier Defects and Dysbiosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:9141. [PMID: 36012406 PMCID: PMC9409329 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut is a well-established route of infection and target for viral damage by SARS-CoV-2. This is supported by the clinical observation that about half of COVID-19 patients exhibit gastrointestinal (GI) complications. We aimed to investigate whether the analysis of plasma could provide insight into gut barrier dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 infection. Plasma samples of COVID-19 patients (n = 146) and healthy individuals (n = 47) were collected during hospitalization and routine visits. Plasma microbiome was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing and gut permeability markers including fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2), peptidoglycan (PGN), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in both patient cohorts. Plasma samples of both cohorts contained predominately Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroides, and Actinobacteria. COVID-19 subjects exhibit significant dysbiosis (p = 0.001) of the plasma microbiome with increased abundance of Actinobacteria spp. (p = 0.0332), decreased abundance of Bacteroides spp. (p = 0.0003), and an increased Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio (p = 0.0003) compared to healthy subjects. The concentration of the plasma gut permeability marker FABP2 (p = 0.0013) and the gut microbial antigens PGN (p < 0.0001) and LPS (p = 0.0049) were significantly elevated in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects. These findings support the notion that the intestine may represent a source for bacteremia and contribute to worsening COVID-19 outcomes. Therapies targeting the gut and prevention of gut barrier defects may represent a strategy to improve outcomes in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Prasad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University BLVD, VH490, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Michael John Patton
- Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jason Levi. Floyd
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University BLVD, VH490, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Seth Fortmann
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University BLVD, VH490, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Mariana DuPont
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University BLVD, VH490, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Angela Harbour
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University BLVD, VH490, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | | | | | - Bruce R. Stevens
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Gavin Y. Oudit
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Maria B. Grant
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University BLVD, VH490, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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8
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Melo-González F, Sepúlveda-Alfaro J, Schultz BM, Suazo ID, Boone DL, Kalergis AM, Bueno SM. Distal Consequences of Mucosal Infections in Intestinal and Lung Inflammation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:877533. [PMID: 35572549 PMCID: PMC9095905 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.877533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, affecting high-risk populations such as children and the elderly. Pathogens usually activate local immune responses at the site of infection, resulting in both protective and inflammatory responses, which may lead to local changes in the microbiota, metabolites, and the cytokine environment. Although some pathogens can disseminate and cause systemic disease, increasing evidence suggests that local infections can affect tissues not directly invaded. In particular, diseases occurring at distal mucosal barriers such as the lung and the intestine seem to be linked, as shown by epidemiological studies in humans. These mucosal barriers have bidirectional interactions based mainly on multiple signals derived from the microbiota, which has been termed as the gut-lung axis. However, the effects observed in such distal places are still incompletely understood. Most of the current research focuses on the systemic impact of changes in microbiota and bacterial metabolites during infection, which could further modulate immune responses at distal tissue sites. Here, we describe how the gut microbiota and associated metabolites play key roles in maintaining local homeostasis and preventing enteric infection by direct and indirect mechanisms. Subsequently, we discuss recent murine and human studies linking infectious diseases with changes occurring at distal mucosal barriers, with particular emphasis on bacterial and viral infections affecting the lung and the gastrointestinal tract. Further, we discuss the potential mechanisms by which pathogens may cause such effects, promoting either protection or susceptibility to secondary infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Melo-González
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera Sepúlveda-Alfaro
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bárbara M. Schultz
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isidora D. Suazo
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - David L. Boone
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend, South Bend, IN, United States
| | - Alexis M. Kalergis
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Susan M. Bueno
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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