Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft function

Abstract Background The gut-lung-kidney axis is pivotal in immune-related kidney diseases, with gut dysbiosis potentially exacerbating the severity of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in recipients of kidney transplant. This study aimed to characterize the gut microbiome and metabolome in renal t...

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Main Authors: Zijie Wang, Xiang Gao, Hongsheng Ji, Ming Shao, Bin Ni, Shuang Fei, Li Sun, Hao Chen, Ruoyun Tan, Mulong Du, Min Gu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:Journal of Translational Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06090-5
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author Zijie Wang
Xiang Gao
Hongsheng Ji
Ming Shao
Bin Ni
Shuang Fei
Li Sun
Hao Chen
Ruoyun Tan
Mulong Du
Min Gu
author_facet Zijie Wang
Xiang Gao
Hongsheng Ji
Ming Shao
Bin Ni
Shuang Fei
Li Sun
Hao Chen
Ruoyun Tan
Mulong Du
Min Gu
author_sort Zijie Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The gut-lung-kidney axis is pivotal in immune-related kidney diseases, with gut dysbiosis potentially exacerbating the severity of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in recipients of kidney transplant. This study aimed to characterize the gut microbiome and metabolome in renal transplant recipients with COVID-19 pneumonia over a one-year follow-up period. Methods A total of 30 renal transplant recipients were enrolled, comprising 17 with COVID-19 pneumonia, six with mild COVID-19, and seven without COVID-19. Fecal samples were collected at the onset of infection for gut microbiome and metabolome analysis. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model and Latent Class Growth Mixed Model (LCGMM) were employed to dissect the relationships among clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and gut microbiota and metabolites. Results Four microbial phyla (Deferribacteres, TM7, Fusobacteria, and Gemmatimonadetes) and 13 genera were significantly enriched across three recipients groups, correlating with baseline inflammatory response and allograft function. Additionally, 52 differentially expressed metabolites were identified, with seven significantly correlating with eight altered microbiota genera. LCGMM revealed two distinct classes of recipients, with those suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia exhibiting significantly elevated serum creatinine (Scr) trajectories over the one-year period. GEE further identified 12 genera and 181 metabolites closely associated with these trajectories; a multivariable model incorporating gut metabolites of 1-Caffeoylquinic Acid and PMK was found to effectively predict one-year allograft function. Conclusions Our study indicates a possible interaction between the composition of the gut microbiota and metabolites community and COVID-19 in renal transplant recipients, particularly in relation to disease severity and the prediction of one-year allograft function.
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spelling doaj-art-03f58993811e4d13b60f46bbfbfccfe22025-08-20T03:06:52ZengBMCJournal of Translational Medicine1479-58762025-04-0123111210.1186/s12967-025-06090-5Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft functionZijie Wang0Xiang Gao1Hongsheng Ji2Ming Shao3Bin Ni4Shuang Fei5Li Sun6Hao Chen7Ruoyun Tan8Mulong Du9Min Gu10Department of Urology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Biostatistics, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartments of Environmental Genomics and Genetic Toxicology, the Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityAbstract Background The gut-lung-kidney axis is pivotal in immune-related kidney diseases, with gut dysbiosis potentially exacerbating the severity of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in recipients of kidney transplant. This study aimed to characterize the gut microbiome and metabolome in renal transplant recipients with COVID-19 pneumonia over a one-year follow-up period. Methods A total of 30 renal transplant recipients were enrolled, comprising 17 with COVID-19 pneumonia, six with mild COVID-19, and seven without COVID-19. Fecal samples were collected at the onset of infection for gut microbiome and metabolome analysis. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model and Latent Class Growth Mixed Model (LCGMM) were employed to dissect the relationships among clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and gut microbiota and metabolites. Results Four microbial phyla (Deferribacteres, TM7, Fusobacteria, and Gemmatimonadetes) and 13 genera were significantly enriched across three recipients groups, correlating with baseline inflammatory response and allograft function. Additionally, 52 differentially expressed metabolites were identified, with seven significantly correlating with eight altered microbiota genera. LCGMM revealed two distinct classes of recipients, with those suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia exhibiting significantly elevated serum creatinine (Scr) trajectories over the one-year period. GEE further identified 12 genera and 181 metabolites closely associated with these trajectories; a multivariable model incorporating gut metabolites of 1-Caffeoylquinic Acid and PMK was found to effectively predict one-year allograft function. Conclusions Our study indicates a possible interaction between the composition of the gut microbiota and metabolites community and COVID-19 in renal transplant recipients, particularly in relation to disease severity and the prediction of one-year allograft function.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06090-5Gut microbiomeGut metabolomeAllograft functionKidney transplantationCOVID-19
spellingShingle Zijie Wang
Xiang Gao
Hongsheng Ji
Ming Shao
Bin Ni
Shuang Fei
Li Sun
Hao Chen
Ruoyun Tan
Mulong Du
Min Gu
Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft function
Journal of Translational Medicine
Gut microbiome
Gut metabolome
Allograft function
Kidney transplantation
COVID-19
title Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft function
title_full Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft function
title_fullStr Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft function
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft function
title_short Characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during COVID-19 and prediction of one-year allograft function
title_sort characterization of gut microbiota and metabolites in renal transplant recipients during covid 19 and prediction of one year allograft function
topic Gut microbiome
Gut metabolome
Allograft function
Kidney transplantation
COVID-19
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06090-5
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