Mucosa-associated microbiota structure and methylation status of genes involved in the inflammation response in Chron’s disease

Introduction. Crohnu0027s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, where there is a deregulated immune response to the intestinal microbiota. Objectives. project evaluates the impact of microbiota on expression of genes involved in the inflammation response in CD pathology. Methodology. Starting from total DNA extracted from CD ileal biopsies and healthy subjects, we analyzed: i) the mucosa-associated microbiota through Next-Generation-Sequencing; ii) the methylation level of the genes involved in the host inflammatory response through the plate/array The Human Inflammatory Response u0026 Autoimmunity EpiTect Methyl II Signature PCR Array” to estimate the methylation status of 22 promoter genes involved in inflammation. Results. Preliminary results shown a mucosal dysbiosis in CD patients, with higher relative abundance of Pseudomonas genus in CD and Veillonella in controls. A significant decrease in methylation levels of IL13RA1 and InhA promoters was observed. Conclusions. A minor methylation level of the two promoter genes in CD, related to an increased expression, could represent a new connection between bacteria and innate immune system; a new therapeutic targets and/or diagnostic biomarkers to be used.