ProjectICELAND – Veränderungen des Immunsystems und der gastrointestinalen Mikrobiota in Umgebung mit limitierter…

Basic data

Acronym:
ICELAND
Title:
Veränderungen des Immunsystems und der gastrointestinalen Mikrobiota in Umgebung mit limitierter Antigen-Vielfalt und Gegenmaßnahmen
Duration:
01/06/2019 to 31/12/2025
Abstract / short description:
Under "normal" living conditions, the human innate and acquired immune system maintains its functionality and protects the health of the individual during the omnipresent challenges of environmental signals (antigens, toxins). The greatest challenge comes from the food and intestinal commensal microbiota, the latter processing the former, and thereby providing the body with nutrients. Both immune and microbiota functions are determined by the host genome, while fine tuning between the human genome (and epigenome), microbiome and immune system is still unclear. A prolonged stay in a highly protected environment with sterile and "monotonous" foods can change this delicate balance.
The manipulation of microbiota by probiotic dietary supplements can contribute to improved health, especially under high stress and workload conditions. In the last ten years, second-generation probiotics have been developed that not only affect intestinal health and immune function, but also the functions of the central nervous system (stress response, memory, mood); these are known as "psychobiotics" and have been proven in both healthy subjects and patients. One such psychobiotic is Bifidobacterium longum 1714.
Our hypothesis is that the gastrointestinal microbiota and the immune system are closely linked and associated changes occur under the extreme conditions in Antarctica. Induced changes of the microbiota by diet and other environmental factors affect the "fitness" of the immune system, potentially resulting in immune dysfunction. This study extends the basic understanding of the hygiene hypothesis. The targeted use of microbes, here a well-considered probiotic, can potentially be used as a countermeasure to the changes.

The main objectives of ICELAND are to examine the influence of the role of an antigen-limited environment on i) the gastrointestinal microbiota and the immune system and their interactions and ii) whether the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum 1714 can be used as a countermeasure.
Keywords:
probiotics
Probiotika
Antarctica
Antarktis
microbiology
Mikrobiologie
immunobiology
Immunbiologie

Involved staff

Managers

Faculty of Medicine
University of Tübingen
Faculty of Medicine
University of Tübingen

Local organizational units

Faculty of Medicine
University of Tübingen

Funders

Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
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