Effects of azithromycin on alleviating airway inflammation in asthmatic mice by regulating airway microbiota and metabolites

• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02217-24
• Publication Date: 2025-02-11T14:02:46Z
• Authors: DanHui Huang; Lingyan Xie; Tingyue Luo; Lishan Lin; QianNan Ren; Zhaojin Zeng; Haohua Huang; Hua Liao; XiaoDan Chang; Yuehua Chen; Haijin Zhao; Shaoxi Cai; Hangming Dong
• Keywords: Dysbiosis

ABSTRACT Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease with increasing global prevalence, often linked to disrupted airway microbiota. Azithromycin has shown promise in asthma treatment, but whether its effect owing antimicrobial capacity remains largely unknown. A house dust mite (HDM)-induced asthmatic mouse model was used evaluate the effects of azithromycin on inflammation and Mice were divided into control, HDM-induced asthma, HDM + azithromycin, azithromycin-alone groups. Airway microbiota analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing, metabolomic profiles assessed via liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. alleviated type 2 restoring diversity by modulating specific genera, including Streptococcus , Staphylococcus Ruminococcus Coprococcus Bifidobacterium, etc. Combination analysis metabolomics revealed that significantly regulated microbiota-associated sphingomyelin metabolism. Azithromycin’s therapeutic are associated ability regulate metabolism, highlighting potential for microbiota-targeted therapies asthma. IMPORTANCE Asthma, prevalent condition, poses significant health challenge due prevalence morbidity. The role pathogenesis gaining attention, evidence suggesting disruptions this microbial community contribute severity. Our study investigates impact macrolide antibiotic, findings reveal not only alleviates also restores modulates This research underscores management, offering novel strategy could improve patient outcomes reduce healthcare burden