Project

Call for Partners | GutKeeper

The gut is of major importance for human health. In addition to absorbing all nutrients the body needs, it is an active site for the immune system to interact with external environment, defend against potential pathogens and maintain homeostasis. Does your product, ingredient and or bioactive support the gut’s active defense mechanisms against (pathogenic) bacteria and/or priming of the local innate immune response? Join this project to find out!

Food can directly and indirectly affect the intestinal lining and immune cells located around the gut, influencing the physical and immunological barriers that are crucial to maintain human health. Food compounds and their breakdown products, as well as food-induced changes in microbiota composition and metabolites, can modulate the production of antimicrobial peptides such as defensins, which play an important part in the first line of defence against pathogens in the gut. Furthermore, food-derived components can interact with innate immune cells such as macrophages, and it has been demonstrated in our lab and others that food (fibre) components can enhance innate immune function through a mechanism of immune training.

Recently we have established in vitro and in vivo models to study trained immunity with an emphasis on mucosal/peritoneal resident macrophages, as well as human small intestinal organoids at WFBR. These advanced cell-based models will be combined with more simple cell line and co-culture models to efficiently study the central mechanisms of innate immune defence in the gut. Join our project in which we will investigate which food components can stimulate the production of intestinal host defence peptides and boost the immune system. We will combine our in vitro and ex vivo toolbox with in vivo studies.

Partners will develop knowledge and build on scientific evidence on products and formulations to optimize gut health and human immune status.

Partners

  • Food ingredient suppliers
  • Specialty ingredient suppliers – bioactives, supplements, pre/pro/postbiotics
  • Food manufacturers