Multi-centre analysis of immune-regulatory mechanisms that protect from childhood asthma in distinct rural environments

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This multi-center project aims to disentangle protective immune regulatory mechanisms for atopic asthma in childhood in environmentally distinct areas. The unique natural exposure to two environments strongly protecting from childhood asthma, i.e. farms in Europe and rural areas in China offers the great opportunity to assess the interplay of the innate and adaptive immune system, specifically dendritic cells and T regulatory cells, in four groups of well-characterized children from both Europe and China: i) Healthy non-exposed children, ii) Asthmatic non-exposed children, iii) Healthy exposed, and iv) Asthmatic exposed children. We will further assess an “ex vivo DC and Treg farming/rural signature” by exposing isolated blood cells of 6 year old children to environmental samples containing asthma-protective microbial factors from Europe and China. Herewith, we aim to disentangle whether both environments exert asthma-protection via identical or different immunological pathways. This project will not only provide a profound basis for future immunological studies on allergic asthma in all three countries through establishment and exchange of expertise and immunological techniques. It also represents an unparalleled chance to understand the immune mechanisms underlying the protection from asthma, which are critical for any future development of preventive strategies.