Microbiome in Urological Diseases

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 18871

Special Issue Editor

1. Soonchunghyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
2. Department of Urology, Chief of Urology, Soonchunghyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
3. Chair of Urinary Microbiome Committee in Korean Urological Association (KUA), Seoul, Korea
4. Past President of Korean Association of Urogenital Infection & Inflammation (KAUTII), Seoul, Korea
Interests: urinary microbiome; urologic diseases ( UTI, OAB, Incontinence, IC/BPS, CP/CPPS, BPH, Cancer et al.); urinary microbiome & gastrointestinal disease

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The human microbiome project has investigated bacterial communities in various human organs. The urinary bladder was neglected in the human microbiome due to the old dogma that urine is sterile, but technological advancement verified the existence of urinary microbiota in recent studies.

Many studies have highlighted the beneficial role of microbiota in protecting against infection and boosting immune response. Although it is largely unclear how the urinary microbiome is related to urinary diseases, it has become a viral topic to investigate as studies discover the link between the two. There are still many unknowns regarding how urinary microbiomes are related to urologic diseases such as urological cancers, UTI, LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms), OAB (overactive bladder), urinary incontinence, and IC/BPS (interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome). Therefore, this Special Issue aims to help to identify the relationship between the urinary microbiome and urologic diseases.

Prof. Dr. Young Ho Kim
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • urinary microbiome
  • consensus on the urinary microbiome with low biomass
  • bladder-gut axis
  • badder-gut-brain axis
  • bladder-vagina-gut axis
  • microbiome characteristics of urological diseases (UTI, OAB, IC/BPS, CP/CPPS, cancer et al.)
  • urinary tissue microbiome
  • new technology to discover microbiome in urogenital tract

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3830 KiB  
Article
Malignant Prostate Tissue Is Associated with Different Microbiome Gene Functions
by Jae Heon Kim, Hoonhee Seo, Sukyung Kim, Asad Ul-Haq, Ho-Yeon Song and Yun Seob Song
Diagnostics 2023, 13(2), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13020278 - 11 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1065
Abstract
Specific microorganisms and changes in the constituents of the microbiome are linked with pathologies in humans, such as malignancy. Within the prostate, certain bacterial communities may locate advantageous conditions and establish themselves, thus outperforming alternative species. In this study, a comparison of malignant [...] Read more.
Specific microorganisms and changes in the constituents of the microbiome are linked with pathologies in humans, such as malignancy. Within the prostate, certain bacterial communities may locate advantageous conditions and establish themselves, thus outperforming alternative species. In this study, a comparison of malignant (MT) and benign prostate tissues (BT) or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) was performed in order to delineate the respective microbiomes in each sample type and to determine their pertinence to prostatic tumourigenesis. Specimens of MT (n = 26) and PT (n = 13)/BPH (n = 10) were acquired from patients. No variations in the make-up of the microbiome were seen when MT and PT specimens were compared. Changes in the bacterial constituents and functional genes were seen in the specimens obtained from patients with MT when contrasted against samples from those with BPH. Pelomonas was the genus with the highest abundance in MT specimens. It is proposed that dissimilar microbiome gene functions are present in the contexts of MT and PT samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)
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Review

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13 pages, 308 KiB  
Review
Urinary Tract Infection and Microbiome
by Dong Soo Kim and Jeong Woo Lee
Diagnostics 2023, 13(11), 1921; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13111921 - 31 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2574
Abstract
Urinary tract infection is one of the most common bacterial infections and can cause major burdens, not only to individuals but also to an entire society. Current knowledge of the microbial communities in the urinary tract has increased exponentially due to next-generation sequencing [...] Read more.
Urinary tract infection is one of the most common bacterial infections and can cause major burdens, not only to individuals but also to an entire society. Current knowledge of the microbial communities in the urinary tract has increased exponentially due to next-generation sequencing and expanded quantitative urine culture. We now acknowledge a dynamic urinary tract microbiome that we once thought was sterile. Taxonomic studies have identified the normal core microbiota of the urinary tract, and studies on the changes in microbiome due to sexuality and age have set the foundation for microbiome studies in pathologic states. Urinary tract infection is not only caused by invading uropathogenic bacteria but also by changes to the uromicrobiome milieu, and interactions with other microbial communities can also contribute. Recent studies have provided insights into the pathogenesis of recurrent urinary tract infections and antimicrobial resistance. New therapeutic options for urinary tract infections also show promise; however, further research is needed to fully understand the implications of the urinary microbiome in urinary tract infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)
14 pages, 298 KiB  
Review
Menopausal Changes in the Microbiome—A Review Focused on the Genitourinary Microbiome
by Min Gu Park, Seok Cho and Mi Mi Oh
Diagnostics 2023, 13(6), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13061193 - 21 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
A balanced interaction between the host and its microbiome is crucial to health. Research regarding the significance of the gut and vaginal microbiomes in female health is substantial. However, less data regarding the urinary microbiome are available. Interactions between the gut, vaginal, and [...] Read more.
A balanced interaction between the host and its microbiome is crucial to health. Research regarding the significance of the gut and vaginal microbiomes in female health is substantial. However, less data regarding the urinary microbiome are available. Interactions between the gut, vaginal, and urinary microbiomes are also currently being researched. Hormone-induced dysbiosis after menopause is believed to have effects on physical changes and health consequences. Postmenopausal changes in the gut microbiome are associated with increased short-chain fatty acids and hydrogen sulfide levels. Increased vaginal pH caused by reduced estrogen alters the vaginal microbiome, resulting in reduced levels of Lactobacillus. Such changes influence the vaginal structure and functions, contributing to the onset of genitourinary syndrome of menopause. A dysbiosis of the urinary microbiome is associated with urgency and urinary incontinence and also related to interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and neuropathic bladder. As these diseases commonly affect postmenopausal women, hormone-induced changes in the microbiome may play a role. Menopause increases the alpha diversity of the urinary microbiome and lowers the percentage of Lactobacillus in urine, and such changes precede recurrent cystitis. More research regarding the effects of changes in the urinary microbiome due to menopause on urinary tract diseases is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)
14 pages, 897 KiB  
Review
Update on the Effect of the Urinary Microbiome on Urolithiasis
by Hae Do Jung, Seok Cho and Joo Yong Lee
Diagnostics 2023, 13(5), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13050951 - 02 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2079
Abstract
Microbiota are ecological communities of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms. The microbiome could be involved in kidney stone formation through hyperoxaluria and calcium oxalate supersaturation, biofilm formation and aggregation, and urothelial injury. Bacteria bind to calcium oxalate crystals, which causes pyelonephritis and leads [...] Read more.
Microbiota are ecological communities of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms. The microbiome could be involved in kidney stone formation through hyperoxaluria and calcium oxalate supersaturation, biofilm formation and aggregation, and urothelial injury. Bacteria bind to calcium oxalate crystals, which causes pyelonephritis and leads to changes in nephrons to form Randall’s plaque. The urinary tract microbiome, but not the gut microbiome, can be distinguished between cohorts with urinary stone disease (USD) and those without a history of the disease. In the urine microbiome, the role is known of urease-producing bacteria (Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Providencia stuartii, Serratia marcescens, and Morganella morganii) in stone formation. Calcium oxalate crystals were generated in the presence of two uropathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli and K. pneumoniae). Non-uropathogenic bacteria (S. aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae) exhibit calcium oxalate lithogenic effects. The taxa Lactobacilli and Enterobacteriaceae best distinguished the healthy cohort from the USD cohort, respectively. Standardization is needed in urine microbiome research for urolithiasis. Inadequate standardization and design of urinary microbiome research on urolithiasis have hampered the generalizability of results and diminished their impact on clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)
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12 pages, 1018 KiB  
Review
The Urinary Microbiome; Axis Crosstalk and Short-Chain Fatty Acid
by Hee Jo Yang, Doo Sang Kim, Kwang Woo Lee and Young Ho Kim
Diagnostics 2022, 12(12), 3119; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12123119 - 10 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2991
Abstract
Our knowledge that “urine is sterile” is no longer accepted after the development of a next-generation sequencing (NGS) test. Using NGS, microbiota in the human body were discovered, and it is expected that this will improve our understanding of human diseases. However, the [...] Read more.
Our knowledge that “urine is sterile” is no longer accepted after the development of a next-generation sequencing (NGS) test. Using NGS, microbiota in the human body were discovered, and it is expected that this will improve our understanding of human diseases. However, the mechanism involved in the effect of the microbiome on diseases is still poorly understood. Associations of gut microbiome with diseases have been recently reported. Based on such associations, bladder–gut–brain axis, gut–bladder axis, gut–vagina–bladder axis, and gut–kidney axis as novel mechanisms of action of the microbiome have been suggested. Each axis can influence the development and progression of disease through interactions. In these interactions, metabolites of the microbiome including short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and the inflammasome play an important role. Inflammasomes are multiprotein oligomers that can initiate inflammatory responses. Inflammasomes can trigger inflammation and pyroptosis and ultimately contribute to disease development. SCFAs play an important role in immune cell migration, cytokine production, and maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Associations of inflammasomes with systemic diseases such as obesity and insulin resistance have been reported. The roles of inflammasomes and SCFAs in kidney, bladder, and prostate diseases have also been revealed recently. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)
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23 pages, 1147 KiB  
Review
The Urinary Microbiome: Role in Bladder Cancer and Treatment
by Veronika Friedrich and Hae Woong Choi
Diagnostics 2022, 12(9), 2068; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12092068 - 26 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3359
Abstract
Commensal microbes have increasingly been found to be involved in the development and progression of cancer. The recent discovery of the urinary microbiome bolstered the notion that microbes might play a role in bladder cancer. Although microbial involvement in bladder neoplastic transformation and [...] Read more.
Commensal microbes have increasingly been found to be involved in the development and progression of cancer. The recent discovery of the urinary microbiome bolstered the notion that microbes might play a role in bladder cancer. Although microbial involvement in bladder neoplastic transformation and metastatic progression, except schisto somiasis, has not been established, accumulating research suggests that dysbiosis of the urinary microbiome can produce a chronically inflammatory urothelial microenvironment and lead to bladder cancer. In this review, we describe how the urinary microbiome might facilitate the development of bladder cancer by altering the host immune system and the kind of cytokines that are directly involved in these responses. We investigated the therapeutic possibilities of modulating the urinary microbiome, including immune checkpoint therapy. The responsiveness of patients to intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy was evaluated with respect to microbiome composition. We conclude by noting that the application of microbes to orchestrate the inflammatory response in the bladder may facilitate the development of treatments for bladder cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)
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13 pages, 308 KiB  
Review
The Potential Role of Urinary Microbiome in Benign Prostate Hyperplasia/Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
by Seong Hyeon Yu and Seung Il Jung
Diagnostics 2022, 12(8), 1862; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12081862 - 01 Aug 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1669
Abstract
Historically, urine in the urinary tract was considered “sterile” based primarily on culture-dependent methods of bacterial detection. Rapidly developing sequencing methods and analytical techniques have detected bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid and live bacteria in urine, improving our ability to understand the urinary tract microbiome. [...] Read more.
Historically, urine in the urinary tract was considered “sterile” based primarily on culture-dependent methods of bacterial detection. Rapidly developing sequencing methods and analytical techniques have detected bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid and live bacteria in urine, improving our ability to understand the urinary tract microbiome. Recently, many studies have revealed evidence of a microbial presence in human urine in the absence of clinical infections. In women, fascinating evidence associates urinary tract microbiota with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). However, the association between urinary tract microbiota and men with LUTS, particularly those with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), has not been established. In addition, the identification of the proinflammatory cytokines and pathogens responsible for the clinical progression of BPH is still underway. This review article aimed to address microbiome-related evidence for BPH. Further studies are required for a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the urogenital microbiome and BPH pathogenesis to facilitate the development of preventive and therapeutic approaches for male LUTS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)

Other

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14 pages, 1164 KiB  
Systematic Review
Microbiome in Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review
by Yong-Nam Gwon, Jae-Joon Park, Ki-Soo Lee, Kong-Hee Lee, Tae-Hyo Kim and Jae-Heon Kim
Diagnostics 2023, 13(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13010084 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1582
Abstract
Although many studies on bladder cancer and the microbiome have been conducted so far, useful strains at the species level have not yet been identified. In addition, in the case of urine studies, methodological heterogeneity is too great, and in tissue studies, the [...] Read more.
Although many studies on bladder cancer and the microbiome have been conducted so far, useful strains at the species level have not yet been identified. In addition, in the case of urine studies, methodological heterogeneity is too great, and in tissue studies, the species level through shotgun analysis has not been revealed, and studies using stool samples have provided only limited information. In this review, we will review all the microbiome studies related to bladder cancer so far through a systematic review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Urological Diseases)
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