Microbiome diversity in sputum of nontuberculous mycobacteria infected women with a history of breast cancer

Abstract

Background/Aims: The nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM), caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is an increasing health problem in the USA and worldwide. The NTM disease is prevalent in Caucasian women with a current diagnosis or history of breast cancer (BCa), posing a significant challenge towards treatment. We hypothesize that NTM affected women with considerable therapeutic resistance may harbor pathogenic microbes other than nontuberculous mycobacterium, aiding in disease progression and therapeutic resistance. Methods: We assessed microbiome diversity in sputa from healthy women, women with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM) and women with both nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease and breast cancer (NTM-BCa). First, we collected sputa and isolated DNA from sputa of these healthy women and women with NTM and NTM-BCa. We also isolated DNA from sera derived extracellular vesicles from women with NTM-BCa. To identify diverse pathogenic microbes in various groups of subjects, we then performed 16S rDNA sequencing. Data analysis was performed utilizing the analytical pipelines at the Center for Metagenomic and Microbiome Research (CMMR), Baylor College of Medicine. Results: A large community of resident microbes, including bacteria, virus, Archeas and Fungi live in the human body are being increasingly recognized as the key components of human health and disease. We identified a diverse microbiome community in the sputa and the extracellular vesicles dominated by Streptococcus, Haemophillus, Veillonella, Neisseria, Prevotella, Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, Allistipes, Faecalibacterium and Staphylococcus in women with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease as well as women with both nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease and breast cancer. Some of these genera, including Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, and Allistipes have estrobolome activity and associated with breast and other neoplasms. Conclusion: This work confirms the presence of a distinct pathogenic microbiome other than nontuberculous mycobacteria in the sputa and the circulating extracellular vesicles of these patients. This information could be useful for better therapeutic design to treat the NTM patients.