D-ECCO Grant Personalizing the dietetic strategy in children with IBD: exploring an antioxidant approach

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims Diet is a key element in the pathogenesis and treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Also, oxidative stress (OS) is involved in IBD onset and evolution. Our group is conducting a multicenter trial (the OxIBDiet study, NCT0451301) to explore the OS imbalance in both children and adults with IBD, compared to matched controls, the genetic variants of genes implicated in OS and the effects of an Antioxidant diet (AoD) on these patients. Preliminary results have shown a great imbalance in the total antioxidant capacity in IBD compared to healthy matched controls, particularly in IBD children, and a clear improvement of the antioxidant capacity and oxidant parameters after 3 months of AoD. Aims of this study are: 1. To identify IBD subjects’ responders to a specific dietetic treatment (on the basis of clinical, biochemical and genetic characteristics); 2. To evaluate the effect of antioxidant compounds on stem cell derived 3D models of the intestinal epithelium by organ-on-a-chip technology; 3. To characterize the effect of AoD and Mediterranean diet in terms of inflammatory pattern. Methods A machine-learning algorithm that integrates clinical parameters, anthropometrics, blood parameters and genetic data measured in OxIBDiet cohort will be generated and validated in a new cohort of 30 IBD children (15 CD and 15 UC). Human intestinal organoids will be generated from 10 patients, in which an endoscopy is planned for disease reassessment, and levels of interleukins and TNF-alfa will be measured, after stimulation with antioxidant compounds. Thirdly, cytokine analysis in serum from OxIBDiet cohort who performed dietetic sub-study will be evaluated. Anticipated Impact Results of this study will provide useful indications on factors that influence redox imbalance in IBD and will permit to identify patients who may benefit from a personalized dietetic approach, especially an AoD.