Effects of Atmospheric Fine Particulate Matter and Its Carrier Microbes on Pulmonary Microecology in Patients with COPD

Chunli Che; Xiazhong Sun; Yuhan Wu; Lixin Ma; Yueying Hu; Weiyan Yang; Hong Qi; Yumin Zhou

doi:10.2147/COPD.S314265

Effects of Atmospheric Fine Particulate Matter and Its Carrier Microbes on Pulmonary Microecology in Patients with COPD

Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2021 Jul 12:16:2049-2063. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S314265. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Chunli Che¹, Xiazhong Sun², Yuhan Wu¹, Lixin Ma², Yueying Hu³, Weiyan Yang³, Hong Qi², Yumin Zhou⁴

Affiliations

¹ Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
² State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Diseases, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, Guangdong Sheng, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this paper was to analyse the influence of atmospheric fine particulate matter (AFPM) and atmospheric microorganisms on the pulmonary microecology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in northeast China.

Methods: Collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of COPD patients in the high-risk period (group A) and low-risk period (group B) of AFPM inhalation and samples of AFPM in the same time range (group C) were collected. DNA sample sequencing, the bacterial abundance, and diversity bioinformatics of BALFs were performed by methods of Illumina MiSeq™ platform and Mothur and Uclust.

Results: A total of 58 samples were sequenced, including 22 samples from group A, 26 samples from group B and 10 samples from group C. A total of 2,005,790 bacterial sequences and 34,256 bacterial numbers were detected. Group B had the highest bacterial diversity of the three groups. Group B also had the highest bacterial abundance index value. There were differences in the classification of bacterial colonies for the three groups at the genus level. The types of bacteria in group C were more numerous than other groups, and group B was higher than group A, which indicates that there were more bacteria in BALF during the high-risk period of AFPM inhalation. The detection rates of Streptococcus, Mycoplasma, Roche, Pushia, Chlamydia trachomatis and Brucella for group C were significantly higher than group A. The COG and KEGG databases' difference analysis results for the bacterial gene function abundance of group A and group B were 40.7% in group A and 38.9% in group B (R=0.098, P=0.006). The human disease abundance in group A and group B was 1.16% and 1.12%, respectively (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The increase in the concentration of AFPM can increase the diversity and abundance of bacteria in the BALF of stable COPD patients.

Clinical trial registration number: 2020XS04-02.

Keywords: COPD; atmospheric fine particulate matter; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; microbe; pulmonary microecology.

MeSH terms

Bacteria / genetics
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
Humans
Lung
Particulate Matter* / adverse effects
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / diagnosis

Substances

Particulate Matter

Grants and funding

The National Key Laboratory of Sponsored by Open Project of State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease (Project Funding Number: SKLRD-OP-201902). The National Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Water, Environment Full Funds. (Project Funding Number: ESK201602).