Obesity, the Microbiome, and Lung Disease

A rapidly emerging body of evidence suggests that the human microbiome plays an important role in the susceptibility to and development of lung pathology. Much research now shows that the upper and lower airways harbor unique and diverse microbial communities, distinct from those found in the gut. Dysbiosis of both the lung and gut microbial communities is associated with lung disease pathogenesis and treatment outcomes. Obesity is a common comorbidity of pulmonary diseases that influences lung pathobiology and diminishes therapeutic efficacy; these effects of obesity may be potentially attributed to obesity-associated alterations in the composition of lung and gut microbiomes, which disrupt host/microbiome interactions and production of microbial metabolites. This chapter reviews the current understanding of the intersection of obesity and the lung and gut microbiomes to influence both acute and chronic lung disease development and responses to therapies. Microbiome research involving clinical studies and animal models of obesity and lung disease will be discussed, evaluating important findings and drawing attention to opportunities for future investigations.