Analysis of the Lung Microbiome in the “Healthy” Smoker and in COPD

Although culture-independent techniques have shown that the lungs are not sterile, little is known about the lung microbiome in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We used pyrosequencing of 16S amplicons to analyze the lung microbiome in two ways: first, using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) to sample the distal bronchi and air-spaces; and second, by examining multiple discrete tissue sites in the lungs of six subjects removed at the time of transplantation. We performed BAL on three never-smokers (NS) with normal spirometry, seven smokers with normal spirometry ("healthy smokers", HS), and four subjects with COPD (CS). Bacterial 16 s sequences were found in all subjects, without significant…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

  Award: R01 HL082480
• UO
  University of Michigan

  Award: UL1 RR024986
• MI
  Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research

  Award: UL1 RR024986
• UO
  University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

  Award: CA46952
• NI
  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

  Awards: RR024986, UL1 RR024986