Lactobacilli Have a Niche in the Human Nose

Ilke De Boeck; Marianne F L van den Broek; Camille N Allonsius; Irina Spacova; Stijn Wittouck; Katleen Martens; Sander Wuyts; Eline Cauwenberghs; Katarina Jokicevic; Dieter Vandenheuvel; Tom Eilers; Michelle Lemarcq; Charlotte De Rudder; Sofie Thys; Jean-Pierre Timmermans; Anneclaire V Vroegop; Alex Verplaetse; Tom Van de Wiele; Filip Kiekens; Peter W Hellings; Olivier M Vanderveken; Sarah Lebeer

doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107674

Lactobacilli Have a Niche in the Human Nose

Cell Rep. 2020 May 26;31(8):107674. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107674.

Authors

Ilke De Boeck¹, Marianne F L van den Broek¹, Camille N Allonsius¹, Irina Spacova¹, Stijn Wittouck¹, Katleen Martens², Sander Wuyts¹, Eline Cauwenberghs¹, Katarina Jokicevic³, Dieter Vandenheuvel¹, Tom Eilers¹, Michelle Lemarcq⁴, Charlotte De Rudder⁵, Sofie Thys⁶, Jean-Pierre Timmermans⁶, Anneclaire V Vroegop⁷, Alex Verplaetse⁴, Tom Van de Wiele⁵, Filip Kiekens³, Peter W Hellings⁸, Olivier M Vanderveken⁹, Sarah Lebeer¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium.
² Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Clinical Immunology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
³ Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Gebroeders De Smetstraat 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
⁵ Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
⁶ Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
⁷ ENT, Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Disorders, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
⁸ Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Clinical Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
⁹ ENT, Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Disorders, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Translational Neurosciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
¹⁰ Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: sarah.lebeer@uantwerpen.be.

PMID: 32460009
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107674

Abstract

Although an increasing number of beneficial microbiome members are characterized for the human gut and vagina, beneficial microbes are underexplored for the human upper respiratory tract (URT). In this study, we demonstrate that taxa from the beneficial Lactobacillus genus complex are more prevalent in the healthy URT than in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Several URT-specific isolates are cultured, characterized, and further explored for their genetic and functional properties related to adaptation to the URT. Catalase genes are found in the identified lactobacilli, which is a unique feature within this mostly facultative anaerobic genus. Moreover, one of our isolated strains, Lactobacillus casei AMBR2, contains fimbriae that enable strong adherence to URT epithelium, inhibit the growth and virulence of several URT pathogens, and successfully colonize nasal epithelium of healthy volunteers. This study thus demonstrates that specific lactobacilli are adapted to the URT and could have a beneficial keystone function in this habitat.

Keywords: lactobacillus; microbiome; niche-adaptation; probiotics; sinusitis; upper respiratory tract.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Female
Humans
Lactobacillus / pathogenicity*
Male
Nose / microbiology*