BrainMap

Mrs. Ioana Octavia Agache

Prof. Dr.

Professor - UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV

Researcher | Teaching staff | Scientific reviewer

Expertise & keywords

Non-eosinophilic adult asthma endotypes Call name: Projects for Young Research Teams - RUTE -2014 call
PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-2303 2015 - 2017

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV (RO)

Project website: http://www.endana.ro

Abstract:

Asthma is a common disorder accounting for significant morbidity and mortality. The “one size fits all” approach ignores the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms in asthma defined as an endotype. Until now no efforts have been made to endotype non-eosinophilic asthma, which represents approximately 50% of the adult asthma cases and is characterized by a modest response to treatment.

The main objective is the description and validation of non-eosinophilic asthma endotypes using a detailed immunological and molecular analysis of induced sputum cells and of sputum and serum cytokines in adult non-eosinophilic asthma patients (mild/moderate/severe) extensively characterised by visible properties (onset type, triggers, severity, smokers, comorbidities, corticosteroids responsiveness, fixed airway obstruction and fast FEV1 decline, exhaled NO, asthma exacerbations frequency, lung remodelling via HRCT parameters, followed by unbiased bio-statistical tools such as hierarchical cluster analysis.

Based on sputum cell counts 75 non-eosinophilic asthma patients will be recruited. In parallel with sputum induction, serum, saliva and urine samples will also be obtained.

Induced sputum will be processed via sputum dialysis and ultrafiltration, an innovative procedure developed by the project leader. Serum and sputum cytokines will be measured with ELISA. Sputum cells will be analysed for surface markers using the FACS-analysis. Molecular analysis will include mRNA and miRNA measurement.

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