Gut flora-derived succinate exacerbates Allergic Airway Inflammation by promoting protein succinylation
Chao Wang, Xin Yu, Yu Xiao, Hui Xiao, Yuemeng Song, Xinlei Wang, Haoyu Zheng, Kai Chen, Yiming An, Zhengjie Zhou, Xiaoping Guo, Fang Wang
Abstract
Allergic airway inflammation (AAI) is a prevalent respiratory disorder that affects a vast number of individuals globally. There exists a complex interplay among inflammation, immune responses, and metabolic processes, which is of paramount importance in the pathogenesis of AAI. Metabolic dysregulation and protein translational modification (PTM) are well-recognized hallmarks of diseases, playing pivotal roles in the onset and progression of numerous ailments. However, the role of gut microbiota metabolites in the development of AAI, as well as their influence on PTM modifications within this disease context, have not been thoroughly explored and investigated thus far. In AAI patients, succinate was identified as a key metabolite, positively correlated with certain immune parameters and IgE levels, and having good diagnostic value. In AAI mice, gut bacteria were the main source of high succinate levels. Mendelian randomization showed succinate as a risk factor for asthma. Exogenous succinate worsened AAI in mice, increasing airway resistance and inflammatory factor levels. Protein succinylation in AAI mice lungs differed significantly from normal mice, with up-regulated proteins in metabolic pathways. FMT alleviated AAI symptoms by reducing succinate and protein succinylation levels. In vitro, succinate promoted protein succinylation in BEAS-2B cells, and SOD2 was identified as a key succinylated protein, with the K68 site crucial for its modification and enzyme activity regulation. Gut flora-derived succinate exacerbates AAI in mice by increasing lung protein succinylation, and FMT can reverse this. These findings offer new insights into AAI mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. • Serum succinate levels in AAI patients correlate positively with clinical indices. • High - level succinate in AAI mainly comes from gut microbiota. • Succinate - induced AAI aggravation links to increased lung protein succinylation, reversed by FMT. • Succinylated proteins in AAI mice lungs focus on mitochondrial and cytoplasmic metabolism with SOD2 identified as a key.