RestorPro Project
Funding source:
Project funded by the ANR and the FNR, involving INRAE UMR 1319, INSERM U1220, the University of Luxembourg and the LNS.
Background
– Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are recognized by the WHO as a major challenge for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
– IBD are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) that persist throughout a person’s lifetime and include Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). These debilitating conditions have a significant impact on patients’ quality of life.
– IBD are multifactorial gastrointestinal disorders. Existing therapeutic approaches have variable efficacy, and patients may develop treatment resistance.
Rationale and objectives
– The precise etiology of IBD remains unknown, with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to disease development. The gut microbiota has attracted increasing interest, highlighting the complex relationship between the host and the microbiota in the context of IBD pathogenesis.
The research hypothesis of RestorPro is that profiling inter-individual proteolytic variability can be used to stratify patients with IBD, and that restoring proteolytic homeostasis through the development of tailored serine protease inhibitors (serpins) could be used to treat intestinal inflammation.
RestorPro will open new avenues for the development of novel biomarkers and personalized therapies targeting proteolytic activity in IBD.
