The potential role of lung microbiota and lauroylcarnitine in T-cell activation associated with checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis

Background: Checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP) is a potentially fatal adverse event characterized by new pulmonary infiltrates in Cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. This study aims to explore the interplay between lung microbiota, dysregulated metabolites, and host immunity in CIP.

Methods: We recruited thirteen hospitalized CIP patients, eleven idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, and ten new-onset non-small cell lung Cancer patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene Sequencing. The percentages of immune cells were determined using manual counting and flow cytometry. Interactions among microbiota, metabolites, and lymphocytes were analyzed using cultured mouse splenocytes and human T cells.

Findings: Proteobacteria emerged as the dominant phylum, notably abundant in both the CIP and IPF groups. Vibrio, Halomonas, Mangrovibacter, and Salinivibrio were the predominant microbiota because of their discriminative abundance patterns. Vibrio (r = 0.72, P-adj = 0.007) and Halomonas (r = 0.65, P-adj = 0.023) demonstrated strong correlations with lymphocytes. Vibrio metschnikovii and Mangrovibacter plantisponsors were more abundant in the CIP group than in the IPF group. Lauroylcarnitine, a key intermediary metabolite co-occurring with the predominant microbiota, exhibited a potent effect on cytokine secretion by mouse and human T cells, notably enhancing IFN-γ and TNF-α production from CD4 and CD8 cells in vitro.

Interpretation: Lauroylcarnitine, co-occurring with the predominant lung microbiota in CIP, could activate T cells in vitro. These findings suggest potential involvement of lung microbiota and acylcarnitine metabolism dysregulation in the pathogenesis of CIP.

Funding: This work was supported by Peking University People's Hospital Scientific Research Development Funds (RDJ2022-15) and Provincial Key Clinical Specialty Capacity Building Project 2020 (Department of the Respiratory Medicine).

16S rRNA; Checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis; Lauroylcarnitine; Lymphocyte; Non-small cell lung cancer.