Interaction between living environment, human microbiome and immune system related to allergy

Changes in lifestyle and environment along with rapid urbanization have contributed to changes in the human microbiome, which is a central player in the development of a healthy immune system.

We have previously shown that allergic diseases were dramatically more common in Finnish Karelia children and adults than in their Russian Karelia counterparts (KARA-cohort).The proposed 5-years project will deepen the knowledge on the impact of human microbiota in allergy development and immune function.Specific aims are to:To characterize the skin microbiome of Finnish and Russian populations using shotgun metagenomics.To explore the genomic diversity of Acinetobacter-species, lwoffii, in the KARA-cohort and in previously published datasets deriving from humans and the environment.To understand how lwoffii and its components influence gene expression, especially immunity-related pathways, in human skin and respiratory epithelium, using advanced in vitro-models.The Karelia Allergy Study cohort provides a unique opportunity to explore the role of the human microbiota in the development of allergy as well as in immune homeostasis.

The findings of the project can be utilized for improving human health by lowering the risk of allergic diseases as well as for designing optimal living environments in urban settings.

Understanding the reasons for allergy disparities may pave the way not only to prevent allergies but also to protect from other harmful inflammatory responses.