Dataset Information

Tobacco Smoking and the Fecal Microbiome in a Large, Multi-ethnic Cohort.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Increasing evidence suggests that tobacco smoking, a well-known driver of carcinogenesis, influences the gut microbiome; however, these relationships remain understudied in diverse populations. Thus, we performed an analysis of smoking and the gut microbiome in a subset of 803 adults from the multi-ethnic NYU FAMiLI study.

Methods

We assessed fecal microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and clustered samples into Amplicon Sequence Variants using QIIME2. We evaluated inferred microbial pathway abundance using PICRUSt. We compared population β-diversity, and relative taxonomic and functional pathway abundance, between never smokers, former smokers, and current smokers.

Results

We found that the overall composition of the fecal microbiome in former and current smokers differs significantly from that of never smokers. The taxa Prevotella and Veillonellaceae were enriched in current and former smokers, whereas the taxa Lachnospira and Tenericutes were depleted, relative to never smokers. These shifts were consistent across racial and ethnic subgroups. Relative to never smokers, the abundance of taxa enriched in current smokers were positively correlated with the imputed abundance of pathways involving smoking-associated toxin breakdown and response to reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest common mechanisms of smoking associated microbial change across racial subgroups, regardless of initial microbiome composition. The correlation of these differentials with ROS exposure pathways may suggest a role for these taxa in the known association between smoking, ROS and carcinogenesis.

Impact

Smoking shifts in the microbiome may be independent of initial composition, stimulating further studies on the microbiome in carcinogenesis and cancer prevention.

SUBMITTER: Prakash A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8254769 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:IntroductionPreliminary reports indicated that smokers could be less susceptible to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19. However, once infected an increased risk of severe disease is reported. We investigated the association between smoking and COVID-19 during an outbreak of the disease on a naval vessel.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, observational study on the 1769 sailors of the same navy aircraft carrier at sea exposed at the same time to SARS-CoV2 to investigate the link between tobacco consumption and Covid-19.ResultsAmong the 1688 crewmembers (87% men; median age = 28 [interquartile range 23-35]) included, 1279 (76%) developed Covid-19 (1038 [62%] reverse-transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction testing-positive and 241 [14%] with only clinical signs). One hundred and seven patients were hospitalized. The univariable analysis odds ratio (OR) for Covid-19 infection was 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.78; p < .001) for current smokers versus former and nonsmokers; sex, body mass index or blood group had no significant impact. Crewmembers >50 years old had an increased risk of contracting Covid-19 (OR, 2.84 [95% CI, 1.30-7.5]; p = .01). Multivariable analysis retained the lower risk of current smokers becoming infected (OR, 0.64 [0.49-0.84]; p < .001) and age >50 years was significatively associated with Covid-19 (OR, 2.6 [1.17-6.9]; p = .03).ConclusionsCurrent smoking status was associated with a lower risk of developing Covid-19 but cannot be considered as efficient protection against infection. The mechanism of the lower susceptibility of smokers to SARS-CoV-2 requires further research.Trial registrationIRB no.: 0011873-2020-09.Implications(1) Recent epidemiologic data suggest a paradoxical link between smoking and COVID-19. (2) Among the 1688 crewmembers (with an attack rate of 76% and exposed at the same time in the same place to SARS-CoV2), we found a significantly lower risk for developing COVID-19 in current smokers (71%) versus former and nonsmokers (80%). This finding strongly supports the need for further research on nicotine physiological pathway and its impact on COVID-19 infection whilst emphasizing that tobacco smoking should not be considered as efficient protection against COVID-19.

Project description:The rates of obesity and sedentary lifestyle are on a dramatic incline, with associated detrimental health effects among women in particular. Although exercise prescriptions are useful for overcoming these problems, success can be hampered by differential responsiveness among individuals in cardiovascular fitness indices (i.e., improvements in strength, lipids, VO2max). Genetic factors appear to play an important role in determining this inter-individual variation in responsiveness. We performed microarray analyses on mRNA in whole blood from 60 sedentary women from a multi-ethnic cohort who underwent 12 weeks of exercise, to identify gene subsets that were differentially expressed between individuals who experienced the greatest and least improvements in fitness based upon a composite fitness score index. We identified 43 transcripts in 39 unique genes (FDR<10%; FC>1.5) whose expression increased the most in “high” versus “low” premenopausal female responders. Several (TIGD7, UQCRH, PSMA6, WDR12, TFB2M, USP15) have reported associations with fitness-related phenotypes. Bioinformatic analysis of the 39 genes identified 4 miRNAs whose expression has been linked to cardiovascular diseases (ANKRD22: miR-637, LRRFIP1: miR-132, PRKAR2B: miR-92a, RSAD2:miR-192). These 39 genes were enriched in 6 biological pathways, including the oxidative phosphorylation pathway (p=8.08 x 10-3). Two genes, LRRFIP1 and SNORD30, were also identified with lower expression in high responding postmenopausal women. In summary, we identified gene signatures based on mRNA analysis that define responsiveness to exercise in a largely minority-based female cohort. Importantly, this study validates several genes/pathways previously associated with exercise responsiveness and extends these findings with additional novel genes. We performed microarray analyses on mRNA in whole blood from 60 sedentary women from a multi-ethnic cohort who underwent 12 weeks of exercise, to identify gene subsets that were differentially expressed between individuals who experienced the greatest and least improvements in fitness based upon a composite fitness score index.