Publications by authors named "Byung Woo Jhun"
Infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacteroides abscessus, are becoming increasingly prevalent, and rising antibiotic resistance poses a significant clinical challenge. However, the mechanisms by which the host defense system controls these infections remain poorly understood. Here we show that the autophagy-related protein ATG7 in innate immune cells plays an essential role in controlling nontuberculous mycobacterial infection and protecting lung tissue from pathological inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEstablishment of Human Lung Cancer Organoids Using Small Biopsy and Surgical Tissues.
Cancers (Basel)
July 2025
Lung cancer is a highly diverse disease, and reliable preclinical models that accurately reflect tumor characteristics are essential for studying lung cancer biology and testing new therapies. This study aimed to establish patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs) using small biopsy samples and surgical specimens to create a model system that preserves the genetic and histological features of the original tumors. PDTOs were generated from 163 lung cancer specimens, including 109 samples obtained using endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) or bronchoscopy, 52 surgical specimens, and 2 pleural fluid samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe evaluation of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is gaining importance among patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). We assessed whether the BACES score reflects HRQOL and associated factors in these patients. Data were collected from the nationwide NTM-KOREA prospective cohort of patients with NTM-PD who started antibiotic treatment and included symptoms, Quality of Life-Bronchiectasis (QOL-B) questionnaire, nutritional status using the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), physical activity, body composition, spirometry, handgrip strength, and 6-min walking distance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTreatment Outcomes of Complex Pulmonary Disease with a 2-drug Daily Regimen Using Macrolide and Ethambutol.
Open Forum Infect Dis
June 2025
Background: Limited data exist on the treatment outcomes of a 2-drug daily regimen of macrolide and ethambutol in patients with complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD).
Methods: An outcome analysis was performed on 108 patients with MAC-PD who underwent at least 12 months of treatment with macrolides and ethambutol. Microbiological responses, antibiotic resistance rates, and recurrence rates linked to the regimen were analyzed.
Background/aims: To analyze the characteristics of the sputum microbiota of patients with nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) based on treatment status.
Methods: Twenty-eight sputum samples from 14 patients with NTM-PD, including 14 samples from the microbiologically cured group (7 at baseline and 7 during follow-up) and 14 from the treatment-refractory group (7 at baseline and 7 during follow-up) were included in this study. Bacterial microbiota was analyzed by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene.
Long-term clinical course of complex pulmonary disease patients with treatment failure.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- Some patients with complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) still experience treatment failure despite following guidelines; an analysis of 271 patients showed that 51% needed retreatment after stopping therapy.
- Patients were divided into retreatment and stable groups, with several factors like elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates, presence of lung cavities, and extent of bronchiectasis linked to the need for retreatment.
- This study highlights that about half of the patients who stopped antibiotics may eventually require them again, suggesting that the severity of lung damage influences treatment decisions.
Article Synopsis
- Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) shows varied clinical outcomes, which are linked to different immune profiles in patients.
- A study of 21 MAC-PD patients identified three clinical groups based on disease progression, revealing that group C (progressive disease) had fewer natural killer (NK) cells and more classical monocytes compared to groups A (spontaneous culture conversion) and B (stable without treatment).
- Specific genes and immune markers were found to be up-regulated or down-regulated in different groups, providing insights into how immune responses may affect the progression of MAC-PD, potentially leading to new treatment strategies.
Long-term Outcomes of Adjunctive Lung Resection for Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Pulmonary Disease.
Open Forum Infect Dis
July 2024
Background: Adjunctive lung resection is recommended for select patients with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease (PD). However, data are limited on long-term recurrence rates in patients infected with major pathogens, including complex (MAC) and (MABC).
Methods: In this prospective observational study, we retrospectively analyzed data from 125 patients with MAC-PD (n = 90) or MABC-PD (n = 35) who underwent adjunctive lung resection.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the effects of low body mass index (BMI) on the progression of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) using a specialized mouse model.
- It found that a low protein diet (LPD) worsens MAC-PD progression by disrupting lipid metabolism, leading to increased fatty acid levels and macrophage lipid accumulation during MAC infection.
- The research suggests that improving nutrient intake could help manage MAC-PD, highlighting the importance of host immune cell metabolism and the potential for targeting CD36 pathways as a treatment strategy.
This study explores the impact of QMAC-DST, a rapid, fully automated phenotypic drug susceptibility test (pDST), on the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) patients. This pre-post comparative study, respectively, included pulmonary TB patients who began TB treatment between 1 December 2020 and 31 October 2021 (pre-period; pDST using the Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) DST (M-kit DST)) and between 1 November 2021 and 30 September 2022 (post-period; pDST using the QMAC-DST) in five university-affiliated tertiary care hospitals in South Korea. We compared the turnaround times (TATs) of pDSTs and the time to appropriate treatment for patients whose anti-TB drugs were changed based on these tests between the groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study analyzed sputum samples from NTM-PD patients to compare the microbiomes of those with stable disease versus those requiring antibiotic treatment.
- In the stable group, certain bacteria were more prevalent, while no significant changes were found between baseline and follow-up samples.
- The findings suggest specific bacterial profiles may be associated with disease stability, indicating a potential role for the microbiome in managing NTM-PD.
Article Synopsis
- * Ruxolitinib treatment led to a significant reduction in the overexpression of inflammatory genes, particularly those related to interferon, improving the patient's autoimmune symptoms.
- * Despite these improvements, epigenetic analysis indicated persistent accessibility of the gene regions associated with inflammation, suggesting that ruxolitinib did not fully correct the underlying epigenetic abnormalities even after treatment.
Background: Improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has emerged as a priority in the management of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). We aimed to evaluate HRQOL and its changes after 6 months' treatment in patients with NTM-PD.
Methods: The NTM-KOREA is a nationwide prospective cohort enrolling patients initiating treatment for NTM-PD in 8 institutions across South Korea.
An anti-mycobacterial conjugated oligoelectrolyte effective against .
Sci Transl Med
February 2024
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers discovered a new compound called COE-PNH, derived from conjugated oligoelectrolytes, which effectively kills the bacterium and shows low chances of resistance.
- * COE-PNH works by damaging the bacteria's protective structures and has demonstrated safety and effectiveness in animal models, indicating its potential as a new treatment option for these infections.
Article Synopsis
- - Cure rates for pulmonary disease caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are low, and current treatments are limited, particularly with the traditional use of β-lactam antibiotics not recommended for MAC infections.
- - Researchers conducted a screening of oral β-lactams and found that certain combinations, specifically penem/carbapenem or penicillin with a cephalosporin, showed strong bactericidal effects at concentrations that can be achieved in clinical settings.
- - The promising β-lactam combinations identified include tebipenem and sulopenem (both in phase 3 testing) as well as FDA-approved amoxicillin and cefuroxime, suggesting they could soon be tested in clinical trials or
Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels can increase in nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), and the levels correlate with disease activity. We compared the clinical characteristics of NTM-PD patients with and without elevated CA19-9 levels and evaluated its association with antibiotic response in a retrospective study of NTM-PD patients diagnosed between January 1994 and December 2020. We analyzed 1112 patients who had serum CA19-9 measured: 322 with elevated CA19-9 and 790 with normal CA19-9.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpontaneous Cultural Conversion Rate of Complex Pulmonary Disease Based on BACES Severity.
J Clin Med
November 2023
Background: Only a few clinical factors can aid in predicting spontaneous culture conversion (SCC) in patients with complex-pulmonary disease (MAC-PD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether the rate of SCC varies according to the severity of the disease in MAC-PD patients.
Methods: We retrospectively classified 373 MAC-PD patients who had undergone watchful waiting without antibiotics based on the severity assessment using the 'body mass index (BMI), age, cavity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and sex (BACES)' criteria.
Article Synopsis
- - The increasing prevalence of Mycobacterium avium complex-pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) prompts a need for more effective treatments, as current options like macrolides show limited success.
- - Recent studies suggest that oxazolidinone drugs, such as linezolid (LZD) and delpazolid (DZD), could be effective against MAC, but their actual impact remains uncertain due to insufficient data.
- - In experiments with murine models, both LZD and DZD showed some ability to inhibit intracellular MAC growth, but ultimately proved ineffective in reducing bacterial burden or inflammation in treated animals compared to standard macrolide treatments, indicating the need for more research on their clinical use.
Article Synopsis
- There is limited research on how the bacterial microbiome in sputum changes over time for patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) during antibiotic treatment.
- A study collected sputum samples from 14 NTM-PD patients at various treatment stages and found that overall bacterial diversity significantly decreased during treatment, particularly in patients who showed culture conversion.
- Conversely, in treatment-resistant patients, while some bacteria decreased, others like Veillonella dispar and Pseudomonas aeruginosa increased, indicating different microbial communities between responsive and refractory patients.
Limited data are available regarding the activity of SPR719, a derivative of benzimidazole, against diverse nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species. We investigated the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of SPR719 against clinical NTM isolates, including clarithromycin- and amikacin-resistant strains. NTM isolates were obtained from patients with NTM-pulmonary disease caused by various NTM species, including complex, (subspecies and ), , and .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- A study evaluated the effects of intermittent multidrug IV therapy (IMIT) on patients with refractory Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary disease (MAB-PD), who had not responded to antibiotics for over a year.
- Out of 36 patients treated, a significant percentage showed negative culture results and symptomatic improvement, with better outcomes observed in those with M. massiliense as opposed to M. abscessus.
- The findings suggest that IMIT can serve as a useful palliative treatment, helping to alleviate symptoms and slow disease progression without causing resistance to crucial antibiotics.
Background: Rapid and accurate identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species is essential for the diagnosis and treatment of NTM disease. MolecuTech REBA Myco-ID (YD Diagnostics, Yongin, Korea) is a line probe assay for identification of NTM species and can be performed using HybREAD480, an instrument for automating the post-PCR steps. In this study, we assessed the performance of MolecuTech REBA Myco-ID using HybREAD480.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Mycobacterium fortuitum Pulmonary Disease.
Microbiol Spectr
August 2023
We evaluated the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of 35 patients diagnosed with Mycobacterium fortuitum-pulmonary disease (M. fortuitum-PD). Prior to treatment, all isolates were sensitive to amikacin and 73% and 90% were sensitive to imipenem and moxifloxacin, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The role of bacterial microbiota in the pathogenesis of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is unclear. We aimed to compare the bacterial microbiome of disease-invaded lesions and non-invaded lung tissue from NTM-PD patients.
Methods: We analyzed lung tissues from 23 NTM-PD patients who underwent surgical lung resection.