Project description:The objective of the present study was to identify the nutrient utilization and the SCFA production potential of gut microbes during the first year of life. The 16S sequencing data represents 100 mother-child pairs, longitudinally for the infants (0, 3mo, 6mo and 12mo) and mothers 18 weeks pregnancy. We wanted to identify the SCFA composition in pregnant woman and their infants through the first year of life, and their correlation to gut bacteria and other influencal factors. Metaproteomics on selected infants were analyzed to look for nutrient sources used by potential SCFA producers.
Project description:We have compared gene expression in human nasal brushing cells from 19 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and 19 healthy controls using a 5.2K cDNA microarray. Our aim is to identify new disease biomarkers for the Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium. These markers will be used to report more effectively on the response to the administration of gene therapy in vivo. Cystic Fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis conductance regulator (CFTR) gene which encodes a chloride ion channel. The most common mutation is the ∆F508 mutation, present on 70% of CF chromosomes in Caucasian populations. The disease affects many organs in the body such as the pancreas, liver, sweat glands, small intestine and reproductive tracts but is most commonly associated with progressive, inflammatory lung disease. The current average life expectancy of CF patients is 35 years. Gene therapy is being developed as a treatment for CF airway disease, however, means of measuring the efficiency and efficacy of gene therapy in vivo are lacking. This is mainly due to the difficulty in measuring the chloride conductance of CFTR in cells and tissues. Furthermore, clinical assays for measuring improvements in lung function are insensitive. Surrogate markers of inflammation and CFTR function will therefore be important for the effective assessment of gene therapy in vivo. We have analysed gene expression in human nasal epithelium as this is considered an accessible surrogate for the conducting airways where disease manifests in the majority of patients. Additionally, this tissue will be sampled in clinical trials.
Project description:The link between human gut microbiota (a complex group of microorganisms including not only bacteria but also fungi, viruses, etc.,) and the physiological state is nowadays unquestionable. Metaproteomic has emerged as a useful technique to characterize this microbial community, not just taxonomically, but also focusing on specific biological processes carried out by gut microbiota that may have an effect in the host health or pathological state. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease in which the microbiota of the respiratory tract determines the patient's survival and differences in composition of gut microbiota of cystic fibrosis patients respect to healthy infants have been reported. In order to characterize this host-microbiota inter-relation, we carried out the metaproteomic study of 30 stool samples from infants with cystic fibrosis.
Project description:Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main cause of bronchiolitis during the first year of life, but other viruses such as rhinovirus also occur and are clinically indistinguishable. In hospitalized infants with bronchiolitis, the analysis of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) gene expression might be useful for identification the etiologies caused by HRSV and human rhinovirus (HRV) and to the development of future tests, as well as to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms triggered by different viral agents and new therapeutic possibilities. In this study, we conducted a comparative global gene expression analysis of infants with acute viral bronchiolitis infected by HRSV (HRSV group) or HRV (HRV group).