Host Genotype and Acute Airway Stimulation Effects on Lung and Gut Microbiomes
This project characterizes microbiome composition in the lung and gut of adult male and female mice with different genotypes following an acute intranasal stimulus. The study compares wildtype and PAR2 knockout animals after a single intranasal exposure to house dust mite extract, a PAR2 activating peptide, or vehicle control, with mock treated controls included, and samples collected from feces, lung tissue, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at an 18 hour post-stimulation timepoint. The goal is to evaluate how genotype, treatment, sex, and sample type influence microbial diversity, taxonomic composition, and inferred functional potential in respiratory and intestinal compartments following acute airway perturbation.