Changes in the Gut Microbiome is Influenced by the Level of Control and Treatment in Asthma

Ewelina Harcęko-Zielińska,1 Aleksandra Górska,1 Jan Romantowski,1 Sylwia Małgorzewicz,2 Marta Gruchała-Niedoszytko,2 Tomasz Piotr Wypych,3 Danuta Gutowska-Owsiak,4 Reza Abouali,4 Marta Chełmińska,1 Marek Niedoszytko1 1Department of Allergology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland; 2Department of Clinical Nutrition, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland; 3Laboratory of Host-Microbiota Interactions, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland; 4Laboratory of Experimental and Translational Immunology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, PolandCorrespondence: Ewelina Harcęko-Zielińska, Department of Allergology, Medical University of Gdansk, Mariana Smoluchowskiego 17, 80-214, Gdańsk, Poland, Tel +48 692276182, Email [email protected]: The influence of intestinal microorganisms on the development and course of allergic diseases has recently been the subject of intensive research, but studies describing changes in the intestinal microbiome of asthma patients in response to altering factors are still scarce.Objective: (1) the analysis of eating habits composition of intestinal microbiota and BMI in asthma patients compared to the control group, (2) the comparison of the results of the analyzed parameters in asthma patients and in the control group, (3) the analysis of asthma treatment results depending on the composition of intestinal microbiota.Methods: Clinical stool isolates were cultured and genetic material was sequenced. The study included 49 subjects with asthma and a control group of 18 healthy volunteers. Clinical data was collected through questionnaires on the most frequently reported symptoms and the FFQ questionnaire. The composition of intestinal microbiota was determined using the traditional breeding method (the serial dilution method was used) followed by 16S rRNA sequencing.Results: Patients with asthma reported the greatest severity of clinical symptoms in all the body systems examined.The most common cause of the aberrant stool test results was E. coli, with titers < 106. The was no difference in the dietary habits between the asthma patients and the control group. Alpha and beta diversity, was significantly lower in asthma patients compared to the control group. Asthma patients had lower abundance of Faecalibacterium vs healthy volunteers. Statistically significant depletion of Oscilospirales, Anaerovoracaceea, was demonstrated in patients with uncontrolled asthma compared to controlled and partially controlled asthma. In patients taking glucocorticoids (oral and inhaled) enriched intestinal microbiota in Anaerovoracaceae and Christensenellaceae and depleted Faecalibacterium were observed.Conclusion: Patients with asthma showed less richness and diversity in the composition of their intestinal microbiota compared to the control group.Keywords: abundance, allergy, asthma, microbiome