Project description:<p>Studies have emphasized the importance of disease-associated microorganisms in perturbed communities, however, the protective roles of commensals are largely under recognized and poorly understood. Using acne as a model disease, we investigated the determinants of the overall virulence property of the skin microbiota when disease- and health-associated organisms coexist in the community. By ultra-deep metagenomic shotgun sequencing, we revealed higher relative abundances of propionibacteria and Propionibacterium acnes phage in healthy skin. In acne patients, the microbiome composition at the species level and at P. acnes strain level was more diverse than in healthy individuals, with enriched virulence-associated factors and reduced abundance of metabolic synthesis genes. Based on the abundance profiles of the metagenomic elements, we constructed a quantitative prediction model, which classified the clinical states of the host skin with high accuracy in both our study cohort (85%) and an independent sample set (86%). Our results suggest that the balance between metagenomic elements, not the mere presence of disease-associated strains, shapes the overall virulence property of the skin microbiota. This study provides new insights into the microbial mechanism of acne pathogenesis and suggests probiotic and phage therapies as potential acne treatments to modulate the skin microbiota and to maintain skin health.</p>
Project description:To elucidate the complexity of immune responses in the formation of granuloma, we performed the single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis. PBMCs derived from tattoo uveitis patients in both active and inactive stages and sarcoidosis patients were collected to characterize their similarities and difference. PBMCs from age-matched healthy donors were considered as controls.
Project description:Vitreoretinal lymphoma is a rare subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma considered a variant of primary central nervous system lymphoma. Its diagnosis requires examination of vitreous fluid, but cytologic differentiation from uveitis remains difficult. Due to its rarity and difficulty in obtaining diagnostic material, little is known about the genetic profile of the disease.
Project description:Comprehensive proteomic analyses of vitreous humor using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry were performed in 10 patients with VRL, 10 control patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane or macular hole, and 10 patients with ocular sarcoidosis.
