Environmental Mycobiome Modifiers of Inflammation and Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis
Abstract
This project is focused on Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), a progressive fibrotic disease characterized by skin fibrosis and damage to internal organs. While a wide range of environmental and biological triggers have been proposed, no definitive etiologic agents have yet been identified. Metagenomic analysis of non-human sequences in SSc RNA-seq data was used to detect microbial sequences in human tissues in an unbiased, quantitative manner. Our studies suggest that disease pathogenesis includes a common environmental fungal trigger, Rhodotorula glutinis, which we hypothesize elicits immune activation in a permissive host genetic background. Skin biopsies have been collected from SSc patients and analyzed by high-throughput sequencing, providing substantial gene expression data as well as detailed information regarding the host microbiome. Data have been compared against that of healthy control samples.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1095034
Entities
People
- Michael Whitfield
- Robert Lafyatis
- Sarah T Arron
Organizations
- University of California Regents