Relationship between the upper airway and lung microbiome in patients with bronchiectasis

• Grant number: 23/18147-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: May 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Welington Luiz de Araújo
• Grantee: Gabriel Renan Rodrigues de Souza
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Analysis of the lung microbiome has become essential in understanding respiratory conditions, since this community influences the immune system's response. The diversity and dynamics of microbial communities, especially in cases of bronchiectasis, reflect not only pathological imbalances but also potential therapeutic targets and clinical management strategies. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the correlation between the microbiome of the upper airways (nasal and oral) and lungs (sputum) in patients with bronchiectasis. Through a cross-sectional prevalence study, 18 patients with bronchiectasis were selected under outpatient clinical follow-up at the Heart Institute (InCor) of the Hospital das Clínicas of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMUSP-SP). Samples were collected for microbiological evaluation of saliva, nasal secretion, and sputum. Saliva samples were obtained without stimulation, nasal secretions were collected with a sterile swab, and sputum was collected using the spontaneous collection method. Sputum was prepared with working solution (RemelTM Sputasol) and 0.85% saline. All samples were stored in TRIS-EDTA at -80C for DNA extraction (Meta-G-Nome" DNA Isolation - MGN0910 (Epicentre Technologies Corp., Chicago, IL, USA). To evaluate the richness and diversity of the microbial community, the DNA obtained from the samples will be sequenced on the Illumina platform and analyzed with QIIME2 program. This study intends to describe the most abundant microbial groups in the patient's sputum and the relationship between this community and that observed in the upper airways (salivary and nasal microbiome), contributing significantly to the understanding of the process associated with the establishment of the lung microbial community in patients with bronchiectasis.