Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): novel approaches for diagnosis and gut microbiota modulation in ulcerative colitis patients

Abstract

Inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of gut that includes ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Although current drugs are only used to control IBD symptoms, the correct differentiation between UC and CD is a determining factor to better choose of pharmacological treatment. In addition, the complex, unclear and inexact aetiology of IBD is a limiting factor that complicates the development of new pharmacologic treatments. Since diagnosis of UC and CD is a serious problem in clinical patient attendance and the absence of pharmacological cure of IBD, the main objectives of our project are 1. to propose a new diagnostic and prognostic tools for UC and CD using microRNAs profile in DII patients and, 2. to evaluate new functional foods as dietary complementary products (Musa sp AAA and Euterpe oleracea) able to modulate intestinal microbiota in UC patients treated with mesalazine. In the first set of experiments, microRNAs profile of IBD patients will be evaluated in order to determine specific colonic microRNAs in patients with UC and CD useful for diagnosis and prognosis of these diseases. In the second set of experiments, active UC patients treated with mesalazine will be submitted to a randomized clinical trial using two dietary complementary products based in Musa sp AAA and Euterpe oleraceae floors, two designed functional foods with proven benefits in pre-clinical studies. In addition, microRNA profile will be performed in the intestinal inflammation induced by DSS (dextran sodium sulphate) and TNBS (trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid), in order to standardize these experimental protocols as UC and CD models. Clinical evaluation, macroscopic and microscopic analysis, biochemical evaluation of cytokine production, microRNA profile, microbiome evaluation, short-chain fatty acids production and other faecal markers will be used to determine the benefits of dietary supplementation with Musa sp AAA and Euterpe oleracea floors in UC patients. (AU)