Potential Benefits of Gut Microbiota Modulation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background: The gut-lung axis is increasingly recognized. This study aimed to find out whether and how the gut microbiome involved in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Gut microbiota was characterized via 16S rRNA gene sequencing in COPD patients and a smoking-induced mouse model. Gut dysbiosis was induced by antibiotic cocktail (ABX) and restored by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Plasma metabolomics was conducted using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and pathway analysis was performed with MetaboAnalyst 5.0. Differentially expressed genes were identified by RNA sequencing and functionally interpreted through gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Results: , which were predominant in control mice. Metabolomic pathways analysis revealed enrichment in unsaturated fatty acids biosynthesis and purine metabolism in COPD mice relative to controls. Conclusion: These findings highlight the involvement of the gut microbiome in COPD development and suggest that maintaining gut homeostasis may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for COPD.