Project description DEENESFRITPL Studying how oral bacteria affect respiratory health Since the oral cavity is the entrance to the lower respiratory tract, oral bacteria may play a role in lung health. Bacteria with potent pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharides (LPS) seem to be more common in the lungs of asthmatic individuals than healthy ones. The EU-funded BRuSH project will test the hypothesis that microbiome communities dominated by LPS-producing bacteria that induce a particularly strong pro-inflammatory immune response in the host will negatively affect respiratory health. It will determine if specific bacterial composition and types of LPS-producing bacteria in oral and dust samples predict lung function and respiratory health over time, and if the different types of LPS-producing bacteria affect LPS in saliva and dust. The project will open the way to better oral health. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The oral cavity is the gateway to the lower respiratory tract, and oral bacteria are likely to play a role in lung health. This may be the case for pathogens as well as commensal bacteria and the balance between species. The oral bacterial community of patients with periodontitis is dominated by gram-negative bacteria and a higher lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activity than in healthy microbiota. Furthermore, bacteria with especially potent pro-inflammatory LPS have been shown to be more common in the lungs of asthmatic than in healthy individuals. The working hypothesis of BRuSH is that microbiome communities dominated by LPS-producing bacteria which induce a particularly strong pro-inflammatory immune response in the host, will have a negative effect on respiratory health. I will test this hypothesis in two longitudinally designed population-based lung health studies. I aim to identify whether specific bacterial composition and types of LPS producing bacteria in oral and dust samples predict lung function and respiratory health over time; and if the different types of LPS-producing bacteria affect LPS in saliva saliva and dust. BRuSH will apply functional genome annotation that can assign biological significance to raw bacterial DNA sequences. With this bioinformatics tool I will cluster microbiome data into various LPS-producers: bacteria with LPS with strong inflammatory effects and others with weak- or antagonistic effects. The epidemiological studies will be supported by mice-models of asthma and cell assays of human bronchial epithelial cells, by exposing mice and bronchial cells to chemically synthesized Lipid A (the component that drive the LPS-induced immune responses) of various potency. The goal of BRuSH is to prove a causal relationship between oral microbiome and lung health, and gain knowledge that will enable us to make oral health a feasible target for intervention programs aimed at optimizing lung health and preventing respiratory disease. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicinepneumologyasthmanatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsmedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusescoronaviruses Keywords Microbiome genome annotation endotoxin immunology asthma lung function Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2018-STG - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2018-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution UNIVERSITETET I BERGEN Net EU contribution € 1 412 728,00 Address MUSEPLASSEN 1 5020 Bergen Norway See on map Region Norge Vestlandet Vestland Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 499 938,00 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITETET I BERGEN Norway Net EU contribution € 1 412 728,00 Address MUSEPLASSEN 1 5020 Bergen See on map Region Norge Vestlandet Vestland Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 499 938,00 Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. HELSE BERGEN HF Norway Net EU contribution € 87 210,00 Address JONAS LIES VEI 65 5021 Bergen See on map Region Norge Vestlandet Vestland Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 87 210,00
