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

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.

Functionality of natural killer cells in obese asthma phenotypes.

BACKGROUND: Obesity-associated asthma (OA) is a difficult to treat asthma phenotype due to its severity and poor response to inhaled steroids. Early-onset allergic (EoOA) and late-onset non-allergic (LoOA) OA are suggested subtypes of this phenotype. Natural Killer (NK) cells are key elements of innate immunity involved in cytotoxicity and immune regulation, with uncertain role in OA pathogenesis. METHODS: Early-onset allergic and LoOA patients together with obese non-asthmatic (ONA) controls have been enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood samples have been collected for analysis. Percentages of total NK cells, CD3- CD56dim and CD3- CD56bright NK cell subsets, cytotoxic activity, intracellular interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-13, IL-17 secretion and activatory receptors (NKG2D, NKp46i and NKp44) have been investigated by flow cytometry. The effect of IL-12 and IL-23 stimulation on NK cells and intracellular cytokines in different groups have also been analysed and compared with unstimulated conditions. RESULTS: Results of ONA (n = 5, age 42 ± 8), EoOA (n = 5, age 42 ± 10) and LoOA (n = 8, age 46 ± 8) patients have analysed. Body Mass Index has been found to be negatively correlated with CD69 (p = .022, r = -0.534). NKG2D receptor has been significantly low in CD56dim cells of asthma population (p = .046). NKp44 receptor expression has increased after IL-12 stimulation in EoOA and control group (p = .02). Intracellular IL-10 content has increased in LoOA and control subjects (p = .018, p = .03) but not in the EoOA group. Intracellular IL-17 level has found be higher in allergic OA group. LoOA patients showed a decreased NK cytotoxicity compared with the early-onset asthma group (p = .05). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests an impaired NK receptor expression, activation and reduced cytotoxicity in OA patients together with variances between different subtypes of this phenotype. This data would be beneficial for tailoring a more personalized treatment strategy combatting steroid resistance and frequent exacerbations in this group of patients.

The effectiveness of a pictorial asthma action plan for improving asthma control and the quality of life in illiterate women.

BACKGROUND: Written asthma action plans are an important part of asthma management, but cannot be used for illiterate people. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish the effectiveness of a pictorial asthma action plan on asthma control, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and asthma morbidity in a population of illiterate women with asthma. METHODS: Forty illiterate women with moderate-severe persistent asthma were assigned alternatively to receive either asthma education alone (control group) or asthma education and a pictorial asthma action plan (study group). Asthma control was assessed using the asthma control test (ACT), HRQoL was assessed using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and the frequency of non-scheduled hospital or emergency visits was monitored. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients completed the study. The ACT and SGRQ scores of both groups improved at every follow-up time point compared with baseline (p < 0.001). The ACT scores at 1 month (22.44 versus 20.75, p = 0.034) and 2 months (23.28 versus 21.81, p = 0.010) were higher in the study group than in the control group, but this was not maintained at 6 months (24.00 versus 23.25, p = 0.069). The SGRQ scores at 6 months were better in the study group (18.12) than in the control group (23.96, p = 0.033). No hospital admissions were recorded for either group. CONCLUSION: Education provides a significant improvement in asthma control and HRQoL while managing illiterate asthma patients, additionally the pictorial asthma action plan can be a helpful tool for self-medication.

New Perspectives in the Diagnosis and Management of Allergic Fungal Airway Disease.

Allergy to airway-colonising, thermotolerant, filamentous fungi represents a distinct eosinophilic endotype of often severe lung disease. This endotype, which particularly affects adult asthma, but also complicates other airway diseases and sometimes occurs de novo, has a heterogeneous presentation ranging from severe eosinophilic asthma to lobar collapse. Its hallmark is lung damage, characterised by fixed airflow obstruction (FAO), bronchiectasis and lung fibrosis. It has a number of monikers including severe asthma with fungal sensitisation (SAFS) and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis/mycosis (ABPA/M), but these exclusive terms constitute only sub-sets of the condition. In order to capture the full extent of the syndrome we prefer the inclusive term allergic fungal airway disease (AFAD), the criteria for which are IgE sensitisation to relevant fungi in association with airway disease. The primary fungus involved is Aspergillus fumigatus, but a number of other thermotolerant species from several genera have been implicated. The unifying mechanism involves germination of inhaled fungal spores in the lung in the context of IgE sensitisation, leading to a persistent and vigorous eosinophilic inflammatory response in association with release of fungal proteases. Most allergenic fungi, including Alternaria and Cladosporium species, are not thermotolerant and cannot germinate in the airways so only act as aeroallergens and do not cause AFAD. Studies of the airway mycobiome have shown that A. fumigatus colonises the normal as much as the asthmatic airway, suggesting it is the tendency to become IgE-sensitised that is the critical triggering factor for AFAD rather than colonisation per se. Treatment is aimed at preventing exacerbations with glucocorticoids and increasingly by the use of anti-T2 biological therapies. Anti-fungal therapy has a limited place in management, but is an effective treatment for fungal bronchitis which complicates AFAD in about 10% of cases.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization in cystic fibrosis: Impact on neutrophil functions and cytokine secretion capacity.

BACKGROUND: Chronic colonization with Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa worsens the prognosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. This study aims to analyze the functional properties of neutrophils in CF patients with P. aeruginosa colonization. METHODS: Patients with CF (n = 16) were grouped by positivity of P. aeruginosa in sputum culture, as positive (P.+) or negative (P.-), then compared with age and sex matched healthy controls (n = 8). Adhesion molecules, apoptotic index, intracellular CAP-18, interleukin 8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels of neutrophils, following P. aeruginosa and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation, were analyzed by flow cytometry. IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17 plasma levels were determined by Luminex. RESULTS: Patients with CF had increased phagocytosis of Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa, upregulated oxidative burst and chemotaxis. Increased neutrophil apoptosis was noted in CF patients. In unstimulated conditions, higher levels of CD16+ TNF-α+ and CD16+ IL-8+ neutrophils were determined, whereas bacteria and LPS stimulation significantly decreased secretion of CAP-18 from CD16+ neutrophils of CF patients. Plasma levels of IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-17 in P.+ patients were higher than in P.- group. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm inadequate neutrophil defense towards pathogens in CF. A significant difference in migration, phagocytosis, oxidative burst, percentage of IL-8 producing neutrophils, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-17 secretions were noted among CF patients according to their colonization status, which might induce a further destructive effect on airways, resulting in an unfavorable prognosis for children with CF who also have colonization.

CD163 levels, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion of monocytes in children with pulmonary tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVES: Childhood tuberculosis (TB) comprises an important part of the world's TB burden. Monocytes set up the early phase of infection because of innate immune responses. Understanding the changes in monocyte subsets during multisystem infectious diseases may be important for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the monocyte phenotype together with the cytokine secretion profiles of children with pulmonary tuberculosis. STUDY DESIGN: Thirteen patients with pulmonary TB were enrolled as study group, and 14 healthy subjects as control group. Surface expressions of CD16, CD14, CD62L, CD163, CCR2, and HLA-DR of monocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. The presence of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-12, IL-23, and soluble form of CD163 (sCD163) in the antigen- and LPS-stimulated whole blood culture supernatants were detected using ELISA and Luminex. RESULTS: Higher percentages of CD14++ CD16+ and CD14+ CD16++ monocyte subsets, and CCR2, CD62L and CD163 expression on circulating monocytes in children with pulmonary tuberculosis were obtained. Diminished levels of ESAT-6/CFP-10-induced IL-10 and increased levels of TB-antigen and LPS-stimulated sCD163 were found in childhood with pulmonary TB. CONCLUSIONS: High expression of CD14++ CD16+ , CD14+ CD16++ , CD14+ CCR2+ , and CD14+ CD62L+ cells in childhood TB, and monocyte-derived cytokines reflected both pro- and anti-inflammatory profiles. Higher sCD163 and CD14+ CD163+ monocytes might help physicians in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary TB in children. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:675-683. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cathelicidin as a link between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis.

SETTING: Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis share notable clinical, radiological, histological, and immunological similarities. The importance of vitamin D has long been investigated in these two granulomatous lung diseases. Cathelicidin is an antimicrobial peptide of the innate immune system, directly induced by vitD3. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of cathelicidin in sarcoidosis and tuberculosis development. DESIGN: The study included 30 consecutive patients with active lung tuberculosis, 30 patients with sarcoidosis, and 20 healthy controls. 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and cathelicidin levels were measured in blood samples. RESULTS: Vitamin D levels were significantly higher (p<0.001) in tuberculosis patients (22.5 ± 9.96 ng/ml) than in sarcoidosis patients (11.75 ± 8.92 ng/ml). Severe vitamin D deficiency was as frequent as 47% in sarcoidosis patients compared to only 3% in tuberculosis patients. Cathelicidin levels were significantly higher in the control group (120.37 ± 41.03 pg/ml) than in sarcoidosis (67.68 ± 38.03 pg/ml) and tuberculosis (68.74 ± 39.44 pg/ml) patients (p<0.001). However, no significant difference in cathelicidin levels was observed between tuberculosis and sarcoidosis patients (p=0.966). The optimum cathelicidin cut-off value to distinguish sarcoidosis patients from healthy controls was 107.14 pg/ml (sensitivity 81.5%, specificity 71.2%). CONCLUSION: Cathelicidin appears to play different roles in the development of granulomatous lung disease.