Understanding the Link Between Viral Infections and Asthma: The CLARITY Study

In addition to heredity, past viral respiratory infections play a major role in chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis (COPD)

UMC Utrecht will lead an international consortium that is trying to understand why children who have had an RSV infection as a baby seem to have a higher risk of asthma later in life. The research – which will last five years – is funded by a HORIZON HLTH 2023 grant of seven million euros from the European Commission. Pediatricians, infectious disease specialists, pulmonologists and other health professionals will work together to answer this important question.

In addition to heredity, past viral respiratory infections play a major role in chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma in chronic bronchitis (COPD). How these viral infections cause and affect asthma is unknown. The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infects nearly all infants under the age of two and has been associated with the development of asthma for many years. But it is not yet clear what changes in the immature lungs of genetically predisposed babies cause the later development of asthma. It is also not clear how damage to the immature lungs caused by RSV infection can be repaired.

Interdisciplinary approach
In the CLARITY (Causative Link between respiratory syncytial viRus and chronic lung diseases: Identifying Targets for therapY) study, the researchers will use different methods to investigate which genetic risk factors and disease mechanisms lead to asthma caused by viruses. Specifically, using two national cohorts (from Estonia and Spain), they will try to identify genetic risk factors and RSV strains that contribute to severe bronchiolitis (an inflammation deep in the lungs). The researchers are also analyzing how RSV causes damage in the cell that causes asthma to develop. They use artificial intelligence to link the outcomes to current biological knowledge. For example, the researchers are looking at exactly where the RSV virus affects lung function and to find medicines that can repair the damage caused by RSV. Finally, they will validate both disease mechanisms and drugs in patient-derived airway organoids. If this looks promising, they will investigate it further in a controlled infection study with volunteers.

Virus-induced asthma
Immunologist Dr. Marianne Boes (Centre for Translational Immunology and Department of Pediatrics, UMC Utrecht) is coordinator of the CLARITY project and principal investigator. She explains: “Our study will help to understand, prevent and possibly treat asthma caused by viral infections. This will allow us to create a genetic risk score for developing asthma in the long term. This will enable tailor-made prevention campaigns, which we develop together with patient groups. The molecular mechanisms discovered and the compounds that can repair lung damage may lead to the development of specific drugs. The disease mechanisms found are likely to provide broader insights into how viral infections cause the development of other diseases.”

Impact
The expected results have great socio-economic value, as they aim to reduce the burden of disease and to improve the well-being of patients, their caregivers and the public. The results can contribute to better treatment of chronic respiratory diseases, and to some extent really benefit patients. They can also raise awareness of RSV and its link to chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD.

CLARITY consortium
In the CLARITY consortium – coordinated by UMC Utrecht – nine partners from four EU countries work together: one university, three hospitals, one public health institution, three research institutions and one patient organization. The project – which will last five years – is funded by a HORIZON HEALTH 2023 grant of seven million euros from the European Commission. Nearly two million of these have been allocated to UMC Utrecht.

Bron: UMC Utrecht

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2023-09-04 06:00:56
#Reducing #risk #asthma #RSV #infection