Abstract
BackgroundThe human intestinal microbiota is a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of various diseases, such as metabolic syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Yet, knowledge about the role of environmental factors such as smoking (which is known to influence theses aforementioned disease states) on the complex microbial composition is sparse. We aimed to investigate the role of smoking cessation on intestinal microbial composition in 10 healthy smoking subjects undergoing controlled smoking cessation.MethodsDuring the observational period of 9 weeks repetitive stool samples were collected. Based on abundance of 16S rRNA genes bacterial composition was analysed and compared to 10 control subjects (5 continuing smokers and 5 non-smokers) by means of Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis and high-throughput sequencing.ResultsProfound shifts in the microbial composition after smoking cessation were observed with an increase of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and a lower proportion of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria on the phylum level. In addition, after smoking cessation there was an increase in microbial diversity.ConclusionsThese results indicate that smoking is an environmental factor modulating the composition of human gut microbiota. The observed changes after smoking cessation revealed to be similar to the previously reported differences in obese compared to lean humans and mice respectively, suggesting a potential pathogenetic link between weight gain and smoking cessation. In addition they give rise to a potential association of smoking status and the course of IBD.
Highlights
The human intestinal microbiota has important influences on the development of innate immunity [1,2], regulation of epithelial development and nutrition [3,4]
The gut microbiota and alterations in its complex composition have been identified as an contributing factor in the pathogenesis of various diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [5,6] or irritable bowel syndrome [7,8,9]
While smoking is clearly detrimental in Crohn’s disease (CD) [14,15] it has a well-known protective effect in ulcerative colitis (UC) with a lower incidence of the disease in smokers [11] and a more severe disease course after smoking cessation [17]
Summary
The human intestinal microbiota has important influences on the development of innate immunity [1,2], regulation of epithelial development and nutrition [3,4]. The gut microbiota and alterations in its complex composition have been identified as an contributing factor in the pathogenesis of various diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [5,6] or irritable bowel syndrome [7,8,9]. In the two main subtypes of IBD, Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), there is a known divergent effect of smoking on the disease course. The human intestinal microbiota is a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of various diseases, such as metabolic syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Knowledge about the role of environmental factors such as smoking (which is known to influence theses aforementioned disease states) on the complex microbial composition is sparse. We aimed to investigate the role of smoking cessation on intestinal microbial composition in 10 healthy smoking subjects undergoing controlled smoking cessation
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