Effect of horizontal microbiome transmission on the development of bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic progressive and often fatal disease. The pathogenesis is characterized by aberrant repair and remodeling of the lung parenchyma resulting in loss of physiological homeostasis, respiratory failure and death. The immune response in pulmonary fibrosis is dysregulated. The gut microbiome is a key regulator of immunity. The role of the gut microbiome in regulating the pulmonary immunity in lung fibrosis is unknown. Here, we have utilized a strategy of cage randomization to study how the horizontal transmission of gut microbiome influences the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Mice from various vendors were cage randomized or left non-randomized for 2 weeks. Mice were subsequently treated o.n. with .75 / kg units of bleomycin for 14 days to induce pulmonary fibrosis.