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Conjunctival Microbiome-Host Responses Are Associated With Impaired Epithelial Cell Health in Both Early and Late Stages of Trachoma.
- Source :
-
Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology [Front Cell Infect Microbiol] 2019 Aug 21; Vol. 9, pp. 297. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Aug 21 (Print Publication: 2019). - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Background: Trachoma, a neglected tropical disease, is the leading infectious cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide. Host responses to ocular chlamydial infection resulting in chronic inflammation and expansion of non-chlamydial bacteria are hypothesized risk factors for development of active trachoma and conjunctival scarring. Methods: Ocular swabs from trachoma endemic populations in The Gambia were selected from archived samples for 16S sequencing and host conjunctival gene expression. We recruited children with active trachoma and adults with conjunctival scarring, alongside corresponding matched controls. Findings: In children, active trachoma was not associated with significant changes in the ocular microbiome. Haemophilus enrichment was associated with antimicrobial responses but not linked to active trachoma. Adults with scarring trachoma had a reduced ocular bacterial diversity compared to controls, with increased relative abundance of Corynebacterium . Increased abundance of Corynebacterium in scarring disease was associated with innate immune responses to the microbiota, dominated by altered mucin expression and increased matrix adhesion. Interpretation: In the absence of current Chlamydia trachomatis infection, changes in the ocular microbiome associate with differential expression of antimicrobial and inflammatory genes that impair epithelial cell health. In scarring trachoma, expansion of non-pathogenic bacteria such as Corynebacterium and innate responses are coincident, warranting further investigation of this relationship. Comparisons between active and scarring trachoma supported the relative absence of type-2 interferon responses in scarring, whilst highlighting a common suppression of re-epithelialization with altered epithelial and bacterial adhesion, likely contributing to development of scarring pathology.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use
Bacteria classification
Bacteria drug effects
Bacteria genetics
Case-Control Studies
Child
Child, Preschool
Chlamydia trachomatis
Cicatrix genetics
Conjunctival Diseases immunology
Conjunctival Diseases microbiology
Female
Gambia
Gene Expression
Host Microbial Interactions drug effects
Host Microbial Interactions genetics
Host Microbial Interactions immunology
Humans
Immunity, Innate
Infant
Interferon-gamma
Male
Middle Aged
Trachoma drug therapy
Trachoma genetics
Young Adult
Conjunctiva microbiology
Epithelial Cells microbiology
Microbiota drug effects
Microbiota genetics
Microbiota immunology
Trachoma immunology
Trachoma microbiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2235-2988
- Volume :
- 9
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 31552195
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00297