FFC#10/2014

Investigating the airway microbiome in cystic fibrosis patients with a severe decline in lung function: an opportunity for a personalized microbiomebased therapy

FFC#10/2014

Investigating the airway microbiome in cystic fibrosis patients with a severe decline in lung function: an opportunity for a personalized microbiomebased therapy

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Annamaria Bevivino (Unità Tecnica per il Sistema di Sviluppo Sostenibile e Innovazione AgroIndustriale, ENEA Agenzia Nazionale Italiana, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Roma)

Partner

Alessio Mengoni (Dip. Biologia, Università di Firenze) Giovanni Taccetti (Dip. di pediatria, Centro FC, Ospedale “A. Meyer”, Firenze) Ersilia Vita Fiscarelli (Laboratorio Microbiologia, Ospedale “Bambin Gesù”, Roma) Alessandra De Alessandri (Dip. di Scienze Pediatriche, Centro FC, Università di Genova, Istituto “G. Gaslini”)

RESEARCHERS

17

CATEGORY

AREA 3 Bronchopulmonary infection

DURATION

1 year

GOAL

€ 48.000

RESULTS

A sharp difference in the structure and composition of airway microbiota between S (Stable) and SD (Severe Decline) patients was found, especially in patients with severe lung disease, where Pseudomonas represented the most abundant genus. A co-occurrence network analysis showed that microbial communities were less complex in SD patients than in S ones. Moreover, an inverse relationship between bacterial community diversity and disease severity was found. Additionally, significant differences in antibiotic resistance genes and metabolic pathways of the microbiome between normal/ mild and severe lung disease FEV1 groups were found. The analysis of the meta-community dynamics can give us a set of tools to unlock the potential of microbiome-based personalized medicine in major disease areas including CF.

OTHER RESULTS

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Some peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) re-sensitise Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the antibiotic meropenem in vitro and reduce its virulence.

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Tezacaftor, one of the components of Kaftrio, induces an accumulation of dihydroceramides both in vitro and in vivo in animal models