ROLE OF MIGRATION IN FAECAL MICROBIOTA COMPOSITION
Research type
Research Study
Full title
INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF IMMIGRATION ON FAECAL MICROBIOTA COMPOSITION (NOTION)
IRAS ID
220421
Contact name
Sreedhar Subramanian
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and multiple sclerosis are commoner in Western population and uncommon in South Asia. However, immigrants from South Asia develop IBD at a comparable frequency to the UK population. The cause of IBD is not fully understood but it is mainly thought to arise as a consequence of an abnormal immune response to bacteria in the gut. The gut bacteria is a complex system and is comprised of more than 1500 different types. Patients with IBD and other autoimmune diseases have abnormalities in the gut bacteria and this is widely regarded as an important factor in causing disease. Previous studies have shown that the bacteria in faeces is markedly different in individuals living in industrialised compared to non-industrialised countries. However, very little is known about the gut bacterial population in individuals who migrate to a Western environment. We hypothesise that the bacterial population in second generation migrants to a Western environment is markedly different from that of their parents who migrated at a much later age. This may explain the higher incidence of IBD in South Asian migrants who migrate at an early age. We propose to do a pilot study to investigate the composition of bacteria in the faeces of South Asian migrants and their UK born offsprings and compare them to a native Caucasian population and their offsprings. We will collect questionnaires about diet and lifestyle which will enable us to adjust for these factors. A detailed understanding of differences in bacteria will help us to understand factors causingimmune mediated diseases and perhaps lead to strategies in manipulating gut bacteria to benefit health.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/YH/0126
Date of REC Opinion
13 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion