The gut microbiota is the focus of two Italian scientific studies exhibited on 11/16/21, 5:30 p.m., also streaming. The two researches were funded in 2019 by the Beni winery in Batasiolo and selected from 146 applicants by a committee appointed by the Turin Academy of Medicine, which has been promoting educational and scientific events for more than 200 years.
The event is introduced by Prof. Umberto Dianzani, immunologist at the University of Eastern Piedmont, and concluded by Prof. Giancarlo Isaia, president of the Turin Academy of Medicine.
Gut microbiota, a marker of heart disease
A suboptimal gut microbiota could be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, as it can promote proinflammatory activity of molecules produced by bacteria.
Based on this assumption, the team led by Andrea Baragetti, a researcher at the Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of Milan, identified, in a large population of subjects with cardiovascular disease, a correlation between disease, gut microbiota composition and dietary variability.
This relationship is proposed as a possible useful marker for identifying individuals who, although they have not yet developed overt cardiovascular events, already show early signs of the disease. This is the case, for example, of carotid ‘plaques’ evaluated by ultrasound mapping.
Treatment of autoimmune colitis
The other project is coordinated by Simona Ronchetti, Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Perugia. Explore the use of the recombinant protein TAT-GILZ, as a potential biotechnological drug to be used in conjunction with a prebiotic (a non-digestible food-derived substance that selectively promotes the growth or activity of certain intestinal bacteria) in the treatment of a mouse model of autoimmune colitis.
The research team ascertained the effectiveness of treatment with both TAT-GILZ and prebiotic (a yeast extract), also used in combination, in improving disease symptomatology and animal survival.
Yeast extract promotes animal survival in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal effect is at the dose of 1000 mg/kg, which achieves 100% survival.
Preliminary data indicate that this protective effect depends importantly on an effect on the fungal microbiome. Overall, the results obtained by the Perugia researchers are promising about a future use of TAT-GILZ and prebiotic in the therapy of autoimmune colitis.
The program
The presentation of the two researches takes place in the scientific public session at the Aula Magna of the Turin Academy of Medicine, 18 Via Po (in Turin). The event is open to all upon reservation via email to accademia.medicina@unito.it and upon presentation of the Green Pass.
The event can also be accessed by streaming, at www.accademiadimedicina.unito.it.
New evidence on the microbiota
Prof. Giancarlo Isaia, president of the Turin Academy of Medicine and the project evaluation committee, expresses ‘all its satisfaction for having favored, with the decisive and enlightened support of the Piedmont Wine Company, the advancement of research in the field of microbiota, which has led to the acquisition of important scientific data, published in international journals with high impact‘.
The new evidence, ‘confirms the importance of gut bacteria, and therefore diet, in maintaining health, both in the preventive aspect, with particular reference to the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and in the therapeutic field, indicating the possibility of treating inflammatory bowel disease with prebiotics as well.’
The enterprise on the side of research
Valentina Dogliani, vice president of Batasiolo Spa, notes that ‘Batasiolo has always placed science and innovation at the center of its modus operandi: it was a natural step for us to support the Academy of Medicine’s initiatives for microbiota research.
We are especially pleased to see how the two selected research projects have led to concrete results and important applications in the medical field‘.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
