Immunity and COVID-19

We investigate the role that the gut microbiome plays in the development and progression of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions as well as in infections, like COVID-19

We investigate the role that the gut microbiome plays in the development and progression of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions as well as in infections, like COVID-19. The intestinal microbiome is an essential component that influences immune development early in life and shapes the proper function of the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system through the whole life-span. Evidence from humans and experimental models indicate that microbiome alterations precede or aggravate the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory disorders, including celiac disease (CeD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and cancer. Preliminary evidence suggests that gut microbiome alterations are associated with COVID-19 infection in patients. The virus SARS-CoV-2 and its specific cell receptor ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) have also been identified in the intestine. ACE2 is involved in the regulation of intestinal permeability, the synthesis of antimicrobial peptides and the inflammatory response, and could influence the microbiome and its function on the immune system and through the gut-lung axis.

Objectives

  • Understand the role of the microbiome in the progression of CeD in patients with different degrees of mucosal lesion under gluten-free diet
  • Define the role of the gut microbiome in the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 infection and in the response to therapies in oncologic patients
  • Define the role of the gut microbiome in the susceptibility to COVID-19 infection and its transmission in children and adolescents in schools

Impact

Our progress in this research area could bring the following results:

  • Identify responders and non-responders to dietary therapy in CeD and microbiome biomarkers of mucosal recovery
  • Inform disease risk and prognosis in chronic inflammatory disorders and COVID-19
  • Rationalise differences in the transmission and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the underlying immune mechanisms in children of different ages and adults