Objective "Allergic disease is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease with an enormous impact on health and well being and a high economic burden in Europe. The increasing incidence in the last decades is well documented and parallels the environmental changes of Industrialized countries. Although there appears to be a link between environmental factors and the high prevalence of allergic disease, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. However, the environment may influence susceptibility to allergic disease through inherited epigenetic modifications of DNA. Environmental exposures such as diet, drugs, toxins and social environment seem to influence the risk of developing allergy in children. These exposures have been linked to methylation and acetylation of specific immune-related genes. Using a mouse model of allergic asthma, we will investigate epigenetic changes in lung and immune cells to determine whether known epigenetic modifiers influence the susceptibility of allergic asthma in the offspring. Moreover, we will attempt to determine whether the effect occurs pre- or post-natally and will test the effects of epigenetic modifiers on gender and in mouse strains varying in their predisposition to Th2 immunity. The results from these experiments are expected to lead to a new understanding of the interaction between the environment, epigenetic changes and susceptibility to allergic disease. These results may have significant clinical implications on environmental exposure during pregnancy and ultimately may identify strategies to prevent allergic disease in high risk children." Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicinepneumologyasthmamedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinflammatory diseasesmedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineallergologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsepigenetics Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IIF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) Coordinator MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN EU contribution € 244 190,00 Address SPITALGASSE 23 1090 Wien Austria See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Michelle Epstein (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
