Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41299711›Full record

ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2025

Immunosuppressants rewire the gut microbiome-alloimmune axis through time-dependent and tissue-specific mechanisms.

Long Wu, Allison Kensiski, Samuel J Gavzy, Yang Song, Hnin Wai Lwin, Michael France, Dejun Kong, Lushen Li, Ram Lakhan, Vikas Saxena and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Long Wu *Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Allison Kensiski *Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Samuel J GavzyDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Yang SongUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Institute for Genome Sciences, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Hnin Wai LwinUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Institute for Genome Sciences, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Michael FranceUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Institute for Genome Sciences, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Dejun KongCenter for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Lushen LiDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Ram LakhanDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Vikas SaxenaDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Wenji PiaoDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Marina W ShirkeyCenter for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Valeria R MasDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Brendan LohmarDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Yan ShuDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Jonathan S BrombergDepartment of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. jbromberg@som.umaryland.edu.
Bing MaUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Institute for Genome Sciences, Baltimore, MD, USA. bma@som.umaryland.edu.

Funding

Signaling Pathways in Innate ImmunityT32AI095190 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI Stefanie N. Vogel · 2012 to 2026
$4.7M
Dissecting the role of dynamic epigenome prompting pathways leading to kidney allograft fibrosisR01DK122682 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCI CTR · PI MAS, VALERIA RAQUEL · 2019 to 2023
$3.6M
Immunological and functional consequences triggered by the gut microbiota regulate alloimmunity and cardiac transplant outcomeR01HL148672 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI BROMBERG, JONATHAN S, MA, BING · 2019 to 2022
$2.3M
Mechanisms of microbiome-driven cardiac allograft outcomesU01AI170050 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI Jonathan S Bromberg, Bing Ma · 2022 to 2026
$1.9M
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases T32AI95190National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases U01AI170050NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL148672NHLBI NIH HHS R01HL148672NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI095190NIAID NIH HHS U01 AI170050NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK122682
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLifelong immunosuppressive therapy is required to prevent allograft rejection in organ transplantation. Current immunosuppressants effectively suppress adaptive and innate immune responses, but their broad, antigen-non-specific effects often result in severe off-target complications. It remains a significant unmet medical need in transplant medicine.

resultsIn this study we investigated immunosuppressant effects of four major immunosuppressant classes, including tacrolimus, prednisone, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and fingolimod (FTY), on the gut microbiome, metabolic pathways, lymphoid architecture and lymphocyte trafficking after up to 30-day chronic exposure. Despite their distinct mechanisms of action and not designed to target the gut, all immunosuppressive drugs induced profound and time-dependent alterations in both intestine gene expression and gut microbiome composition. Progressive alterations from moderate early, drug-specific changes to a strikingly convergent microbial dysbiosis, marked by significant expansion of pathobionts of Muribaculaceae, occurred across all drug classes. Concurrently, all drugs uniformly induced significant suppression of mucosal immunity including B cell, immunoglobulin, and antigen recognition. Time-dependent changes in lymph node (LN) reorganization and cellular composition were also observed, marked by a progressive shift toward pro-inflammatory phenotypes in gut-draining mesenteric LNs and a gradual loss of tolerogenic architecture in peripheral LNs. Drug-specific metabolic alterations and distinct phases of intestinal transcriptional responses were also characterized. Notably, MMF and FTY demonstrated the most robust immunomodulatory properties, and were able to acutely suppress alloantigen-induced inflammation through mediating regulatory T cell distribution and LN remodeling.

conclusionsTogether, our findings show that immunosuppressants elicit complex, time-dependent effects that remodel the gut and exert compartment-specific impacts on lymphoid tissues, differentially affecting gut-draining mesenteric versus peripheral LN. Understanding these relationships offers new opportunities for refining immunosuppressive strategies to reduce treatment-related off-target complications and improve long-term organ transplant outcomes.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal MicrobiomeImmunosuppressive AgentsAnimalsFingolimod HydrochlorideLymph NodesMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMycophenolic AcidOrgan SpecificityTime FactorsFingolimod HydrochlorideImmunosuppressive AgentsMycophenolic AcidGut dysbiosisfImmunologyImmunosuppressantsMetabolomeMicrobiome

Identifiers

PMID41299711
PMCPMC12659221

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.