Project Details
Projekt
Investigating the immunomodulatory abilities of Prevotella spp. promoting the development of rheumatoid arthritis
Subject Area
Rheumatology
Immunology
Immunology
Term
since 2022
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 499424281
The intestinal microbiome is currently being intensively researched; its importance as a possible cause of a large number of human diseases is of particular interest. A contribution of the microbiome to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which affects approximately 1% of the population, is already being discussed. It has been shown that bacteria of the Prevotellaceae family can be detected in patients early after the RA diagnosis. However, it is not known whether these bacteria are actively involved in the development of RA, and if so how. In this research project, we plan to use a combination of tests on patient samples and mouse models to find out whether Prevotella spp. actively contribute to the development of RA by influencing the function of the immune system. For this purpose, we plan to determine the composition of the microbiome and the strain diversity of Prevotella spp. using sequencing and the latest bioinformatic methods in healthy individuals and those with autoantibodies or just diagnosed RA. Using the “ORFeome display” we will investigate whether P. copri or other members of the microbiota induce the formation of microbiota-specific antibodies in healthy donors and patients and whether these contribute to the development of RA through cross-reactivity or by promoting the formation of autoantibodies. We are also planning to use animal models to study the effect of Prevotella spp. Colonization on the immune system and the development of RA, especially with regard to the formation of autoantibodies. Through this research, we would like to help identify the earliest possible window of time for future preventive therapies for RA.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
