Table 2.

Role of antibiotics in modulating microbiota and outcomes of cellular therapy

AntibioticsTargetsMicrobial effectsImpact on cellular therapy
Auto-HCT    
Piperacillin-tazobactam Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity65  ↓ Neutropenic fever61  
Vancomycin (IV) Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity65 
Change in β-diversity65  
↓ Neutropenic fever62 
↓ Bacteremia62  
Doxycycline Protein synthesis (30S) Change in β-diversity65  ↓ Central venous catheter infections66  
Ciprofloxacin Nucleic acid synthesis ↓ Aerobes ↓ Neutropenic fever62 
↓ Bacteremia62  
Allo-HCT    
Any antibiotics — ↓ Clostridia50  ↑ Transplant-related mortality50,
↑ aGVHD47 
↓ OS47  
Combination of antimicrobial medications — Total gastrointestinal decontamination ↓ aGVHD56 
↓ Bacteremia64  
Anaerobic antibiotics — ↓ Anaerobes
↓ α-Diversity48  
↑ Lower respiratory tract disease52 
↑ Respiratory viral infections52  
Penicillins with or without a β-lactamase inhibitor Cell wall synthesis ↓ Gram-positive bacteria ↑ aGVHD57  
Piperacillin-tazobactam Cell wall synthesis ↓ Bacteroidetes49,
Lactobacillus49,
↓ Bifidobacteriales48,
↓ Clostridiales48 
↓ Anaerobes15  
↑ GVHD49 
↑ GVHD-related mortality48  
Third-generation or higher cephalosporins Cell wall synthesis Change in β-diversity65  ↑ aGVHD57  
Aztreonam Cell wall synthesis ↓ Gram-negative aerobes ↑ aGVHD57  
Carbapenems Cell wall synthesis ↑ Bacteroides59,
↓ Enterococcus and UBA181959,
↓ Anaerobes15,
Change in β-diversity65,
↓ Bifidobacteriales48 
↓ Clostridiales48  
↑ aGVHD57,58
↑ Intestinal aGVHD59
↑ GVHD-related mortality48,49 
↓ Fever episodes67  
Vancomycin (IV) Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity65 
Change in β-diversity65  
↑ aGVHD57 
↑ CMV reactivation53  
Doxycycline Protein synthesis (30S) Change in β-diversity65  ↓ Central venous catheter infections66  
Azithromycin Protein synthesis (50S) ↓ Aerobes and anaerobes ↑ Overall mortality27,
↑ T-cell exhaustion51,
↑ Relapse51 
↑ Viral lower respiratory tract infection54  
Clindamycin Protein synthesis (50S) ↓ Gut anti-inflammatory Clostridia60  ↑ GVHD60  
Fluoroquinolones Nucleic acid synthesis ↑ Proteobacteria domination14  ↑ aGVHD57,
↑ Bacteremia with aerobic gram-negative bacilli14,
↑ Pulmonary complications27 
↑ Overall mortality27  
Metronidazole Nucleic acid synthesis ↑ Enterococcal domination14 
Change in β-diversity65 
↓ Butyrate-producing bacteria 
↑ Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia14,
↑ Overall mortality27 
↓ aGVHD63  
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole Metabolic pathway (antifolate) Change in β-diversity65 
↑ Fluoroquinolone-resistant Enterobacterales colonization55  
↑ aGVHD57 
↑ Gram-negative bloodstream infections55  
CAR T-cell therapy    
Any antibiotics — — ↓ OS68,69 
↑ Progression69  
PIM Cell wall synthesis ↓ Anaerobes ↓ OS68,
↓ PFS68 
↑ ICANS68  
High-risk antibiotics (meropenem, cefepime, ceftazidime and piperacillin-tazobactam) Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity69,
Change in β-diversity69,
Roseburia, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Eubacterium spp69 
Prevotella, Veillonella or Enterococcus spp69  
↓ OS69,
↓ PFS69,
↑ Tumor burden69,
↑ Serum LDH and CRP69,
↓ Peripheral T-cell counts69 
↑ ICANS69  
AntibioticsTargetsMicrobial effectsImpact on cellular therapy
Auto-HCT    
Piperacillin-tazobactam Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity65  ↓ Neutropenic fever61  
Vancomycin (IV) Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity65 
Change in β-diversity65  
↓ Neutropenic fever62 
↓ Bacteremia62  
Doxycycline Protein synthesis (30S) Change in β-diversity65  ↓ Central venous catheter infections66  
Ciprofloxacin Nucleic acid synthesis ↓ Aerobes ↓ Neutropenic fever62 
↓ Bacteremia62  
Allo-HCT    
Any antibiotics — ↓ Clostridia50  ↑ Transplant-related mortality50,
↑ aGVHD47 
↓ OS47  
Combination of antimicrobial medications — Total gastrointestinal decontamination ↓ aGVHD56 
↓ Bacteremia64  
Anaerobic antibiotics — ↓ Anaerobes
↓ α-Diversity48  
↑ Lower respiratory tract disease52 
↑ Respiratory viral infections52  
Penicillins with or without a β-lactamase inhibitor Cell wall synthesis ↓ Gram-positive bacteria ↑ aGVHD57  
Piperacillin-tazobactam Cell wall synthesis ↓ Bacteroidetes49,
Lactobacillus49,
↓ Bifidobacteriales48,
↓ Clostridiales48 
↓ Anaerobes15  
↑ GVHD49 
↑ GVHD-related mortality48  
Third-generation or higher cephalosporins Cell wall synthesis Change in β-diversity65  ↑ aGVHD57  
Aztreonam Cell wall synthesis ↓ Gram-negative aerobes ↑ aGVHD57  
Carbapenems Cell wall synthesis ↑ Bacteroides59,
↓ Enterococcus and UBA181959,
↓ Anaerobes15,
Change in β-diversity65,
↓ Bifidobacteriales48 
↓ Clostridiales48  
↑ aGVHD57,58
↑ Intestinal aGVHD59
↑ GVHD-related mortality48,49 
↓ Fever episodes67  
Vancomycin (IV) Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity65 
Change in β-diversity65  
↑ aGVHD57 
↑ CMV reactivation53  
Doxycycline Protein synthesis (30S) Change in β-diversity65  ↓ Central venous catheter infections66  
Azithromycin Protein synthesis (50S) ↓ Aerobes and anaerobes ↑ Overall mortality27,
↑ T-cell exhaustion51,
↑ Relapse51 
↑ Viral lower respiratory tract infection54  
Clindamycin Protein synthesis (50S) ↓ Gut anti-inflammatory Clostridia60  ↑ GVHD60  
Fluoroquinolones Nucleic acid synthesis ↑ Proteobacteria domination14  ↑ aGVHD57,
↑ Bacteremia with aerobic gram-negative bacilli14,
↑ Pulmonary complications27 
↑ Overall mortality27  
Metronidazole Nucleic acid synthesis ↑ Enterococcal domination14 
Change in β-diversity65 
↓ Butyrate-producing bacteria 
↑ Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia14,
↑ Overall mortality27 
↓ aGVHD63  
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole Metabolic pathway (antifolate) Change in β-diversity65 
↑ Fluoroquinolone-resistant Enterobacterales colonization55  
↑ aGVHD57 
↑ Gram-negative bloodstream infections55  
CAR T-cell therapy    
Any antibiotics — — ↓ OS68,69 
↑ Progression69  
PIM Cell wall synthesis ↓ Anaerobes ↓ OS68,
↓ PFS68 
↑ ICANS68  
High-risk antibiotics (meropenem, cefepime, ceftazidime and piperacillin-tazobactam) Cell wall synthesis ↓ α-Diversity69,
Change in β-diversity69,
Roseburia, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Eubacterium spp69 
Prevotella, Veillonella or Enterococcus spp69  
↓ OS69,
↓ PFS69,
↑ Tumor burden69,
↑ Serum LDH and CRP69,
↓ Peripheral T-cell counts69 
↑ ICANS69  

The symbol ↑ represents an increase, and the symbol ↓ represents a decrease.

CMV, cytomegalovirus; CRP, C-reactive protein; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; PIM, piperacillin/tazobactam, imipenem/cilastatin, and meropenem.

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