Fig. 6

Intestinal microbiota from subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) induce pulmonary inflammation in recipient mice. a Intestinal microbiota from COPD III–IV patients reduced body weight in recipient mice. Values are means ± SEM, n = 15 mice. b Levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor α in plasma increased significantly in mice that received fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from COPD III to IV patients. An upward trend was also observed for IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, and interferon γ, although it did not reach statistical significance, n = 15 mice. c, d Total and differential leukocytes were counted in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, n = 10 mice. e CD3 + T lymphocyte counts were higher in the peripheral blood of mouse recipients of fecal microbiota from COPD patients. f–h Increased counts of CD3 + CD4 + cells and CD3 + CD8 + cells but decreased counts of CD3-CD19 + cells were observed in mouse recipients of fecal microbiota from COPD patients, n = 15 mice. Significance was determined by ANOVA and p values were corrected using the Bonferroni method. Mac, macrophages; Neu, neutrophils; Lym, lymphocytes. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01