Background

Normal airway microbial communities play a central role in respiratory health but are poorly characterized. Cigarette smoking is the dominant global environmental influence on lung function, and asthma has become the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease worldwide. Both conditions have major microbial components that are incompletely defined.

Methods

We investigated airway bacterial communities in a general population sample of 529 Australian adults. Posterior oropharyngeal swabs were analyzed by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbiota were characterized according to their prevalence, abundance and network memberships.

Findings

The microbiota were similar across the general population, and were strongly organized into co-abundance networks. Smoking was associated with diversity loss, negative effects on abundant taxa, profound alterations to network structure and expansion of Streptococcus spp. By contrast, the asthmatic microbiota were selectively affected by an increase in Neisseria spp. and by reduced numbers of low abundance but prevalent organisms.

Interpretation

Our study shows that the healthy airway microbiota in this population were contained within a highly structured ecosystem, suggesting balanced relationships between the microbiome and human host factors. The marked abnormalities in smokers may contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. The narrow spectrum of abnormalities in asthmatics encourages investigation of damaging and protective effects of specific bacteria.

Funding

The study was funded by the Asmarley Trust and a Wellcome Joint Senior Investigator Award to WOCC and MFM (WT096964MA and WT097117MA). The Busselton Healthy Ageing Study is supported by the Government of Western Australia (Office of Science, Department of Health) the City of Busselton, and private donations.

中文翻译：

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一般人群样本中的气道微生物群落、吸烟和哮喘

 背景

正常气道微生物群落在呼吸系统健康中发挥着核心作用，但对其特征却知之甚少。吸烟是全球环境对肺功能的主要影响，哮喘已成为全球最流行的慢性呼吸道疾病。这两种情况的主要微生物成分尚未完全确定。

 方法

我们调查了 529 名澳大利亚成年人的一般人群样本中的气道细菌群落。通过 16S rRNA 基因测序分析后口咽拭子。根据微生物群的流行程度、丰度和网络成员资格来表征微生物群。

 发现

一般人群的微生物群是相似的，并且被强烈组织成共丰度网络。吸烟与多样性丧失、对丰富类群的负面影响、网络结构的深刻改变以及链球菌属的扩张有关。相比之下，哮喘微生物群选择性地受到奈瑟菌属增加的影响。以及减少低丰度但普遍存在的生物体的数量。

 解释

我们的研究表明，该人群中的健康气道微生物群包含在一个高度结构化的生态系统中，这表明微生物组与人类宿主因素之间的平衡关系。吸烟者的明显异常可能导致慢性阻塞性肺病（COPD）和肺癌。哮喘患者异常的狭窄范围鼓励对特定细菌的破坏和保护作用的研究。

 资金

该研究由 Asmarley Trust 和 Wellcome 联合高级研究员奖授予 WOCC 和 MFM（WT096964MA 和 WT097117MA）资助。巴瑟尔顿健康老龄化研究得到西澳大利亚州政府（科学办公室、卫生部）、巴瑟尔顿市和私人捐款的支持。