
Project description
There are 2,6/100 000 children affected by inflammatory bowel disease before 6 years old. Etiologic studies do not show any specific genetic cause in these patients. However, the first diagnosis is usually associated with a food allergy suggesting that this would be the trigger of the pathology. Today, the children are treated with the chronic immunosuppresses, which can induce short-term growth and puberty problems, and in the long term, an increased risk of infections and cancer. The very young age of the patients is a key to understand the setting up of the pathology. Indeed, the postnatal period is known to allow the entire intestinal ecosystem maturation (enteric nervous system, intestinal epithelial barrier, intestinal flora and immune system). We suggest that an early inflammatory episode, due to a food allergy, could cause malformations of the intestinal ecosystem. We will therefore compare the maturation of a healthy intestinal ecosystem with the maturation of an intestinal ecosystem that has been exposed to an early inflammatory episode. This will help to better understand and diagnose of the pathology. Then we will test the therapeutic potential of a potent plant antihistamine. This short treatment with a molecule extracted from the plant could permanently restore a healthy intestinal ecosystem.
Research team
Principal investigator: Pr Rodolphe Soret (UQAM)
Collaborators: Pr Nicolas Pilon, Pr Alexandru Mircea Mateescu (UQAM)
Laureate: 2019 Collaborative Research Grant