Analysis of changes in the composition of the mycobiome over time in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease treated with anti-TNF-α antibodies

Project manager: Agnieszka Krawczyk, M.A
Implementation period: 2022 - 2024

The composition of intestinal microorganisms significantly affects maintaining internal balance and human health. On the one hand, microorganisms are considered as a factor inducing the occurrence of certain chronic diseases, on the other hand, they constitute a potential therapeutic target. One of the diseases in which changes in the composition of the microbiota have been repeatedly demonstrated is Crohn's disease (CD). It is suggested that the observed changes may contribute to the pathogenesis of CD or be a secondary effect of long-term treatment. To date, there are few studies that assess the impact of a specific treatment on changes in the microbiome. Currently, the most effective therapy is biological treatment using anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibodies. It is interesting whether long-term biological therapy may contribute to the development of intestinal dysbiosis or, on the contrary, along with the healing of the intestinal mucosa, result in the normalization of the microbiota of patients with CD. The increasing incidence of the disease among children and the more severe course of the disease and resistance to treatment in this age group prompt us to pay special attention to the problem of pathogenesis among pediatric patients. While the involvement of bacteria is an increasingly common research topic, the analysis of the composition of fungi is still rare.

Therefore, the aim of the proposed project is to determine the impact of biological treatment with anti-TNF-α antibodies on the intestinal mycobiome of pediatric patients with severe CD and to analyze the differences in the intestinal mycobiome between patients with CD and healthy children.