16S rRNA analysis of bronchoalveolar microbiome after lung transplantation.

Lung transplantation is the ultimate treatment option for patients with end-stage respiratory diseases but bears the highest mortality rate among all solid organ transplantations due to chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). The mechanisms leading to CLAD remain elusive due to insufficient understanding of the complex post-transplant adaptation processes.To better understand lung adaptation processes after transplanation and preceding CLAD, and investigate their association with future changes in allograft function.Methods: We performed an exploratory cohort study in 78 patients, including broncho-alveolar lavage samples from lung donors and recipients (after transplantation). We analyzed the alveolar microbiome using 16S rRNA sequencing, the cellular composition using flow-cytometry, and conducted metabolome and lipidome profiling.