Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Gut microbiota as target in contrast to malnutrition
Highlights
Coordinator
IBBA, ISPAAM
Assessing microbiome–host interaction in malnutrition (in connection with Spoke 4 and 5). a) Evaluation of gut microbiome features in paediatric and ageing subjects affected by malnutrition and malnutrition-related conditions, with a focus on immune and metabolic pathways; b) Investigation of gut microbiome cell wall constituents on immune and metabolic pathways involved in human malnutrition; c) Investigation of the diet, environmental factors and drugs influencing human gut microbiome structure and function; d) Design of an algorithm to predict the risk of gut dysbiosis associated with malnutrition and malnutrition-related diseases.
Investigation of the preventive and therapeutic action of sustainable personalised nutrition and microbial-derived products on malnutrition-associated gut microbiome alteration and effect on specific targets with malnutrition.
Revision of the literature on microbiome and diet (M4)
Identification of gut microbiome-derived biomarkers facilitating the prediction as well as the early diagnosis and the management of human malnutrition. (M24)
Definition of the modifiable factors facilitating malnutrition-related gut microbiome alteration (M16)
Definition of a set of gut microbiome-derived molecules able to tackle gut dysbiosis, modulate immune response and metabolic pathways in specific targets with malnutrition. (M24)
New algorithm supporting prediction of gut dysbiosis associated with malnutrition and related diseases (M24)
Profiling of gut bacterial constituents with potential applications as postbiotics aimed at restoring immune system and metabolic functions in vulnerable subjects with malnutrition (M36)
It is widely accepted that the gut microbiota plays a significant role in modulating inflammatory and immune responses of their host. In recent years, the host-microbiota interface has gained relevance in understanding the development of many non-communicable chronic conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cancer (e.g., Colorectal cancer or CRC), autoimmunity, malnutrition and neurodegeneration, and intestinal malabsorption resulting from congenital malformations and/or extensive intestinal resections (Short bowel syndrome, IBD, CRC). Aim of the project is the evaluation of gut microbiome features in paediatric and ageing subjects affected by malnutrition and malnutrition-related conditions, with a focus on role of dietary pattern in: short bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and aging related disorders. We will Investigate the role of diet, novel foods or nutraceutical supplements in gut microbiota profiles and relative metabolites in humans’ patients and in animal models to identify possible new strategies to counteract malnutrition associated with many of the aforementioned diseases in fragile population.
We will investigate the gut microbiota profiles and relative metabolites in patients under different clinical condition (Short Bowel Syndrome paediatric patients affected by intestinal malabsorption and in patients affected by Inflammatory Bowel Diseases) to identify biomarkers of malnutrition useful for undertaking targeted nutritional interventions and therapeutic action of sustainable personalized nutrition.
Novel food products have been administered to elderly and paediatric patients affected by pathologies that cause alterations of intestinal function and immune barrier leading to dysbiosis, with the aim of reducing their inflammatory state and improving absorption and intestinal motility. This clinical study has been completed.
The interesting data obtained from the study showed the need to analyse in more detail the microbial communities (in addition to the bacterial component also the fungal one) together with an untargeted analysis of the relative metabolites (by using untargeted approach as shot gun sequencing and NMR) after the nutritional treatment in patients with different clinical condition:
We will study of role of gut microbiota and colon metabolites on CRC (as determined by different diets with different CRC recurrence risk based on meat consumption) in human and relevant CRC animal models by using Faecal Microbiota Transplant.
We will investigate the gut microbiota profiles in inflammatory animal models (rats treated with DSS), fed with selected vegetal extracts enriched in polyphenols (red fruits and algae).
