UNH - ECREIN - Cellular Micro-Environment, Immunomodulation and Nutrition

Published on July 21, 2021 – Updated on July 23, 2021

Our work is in the field of nutritional prevention of neoplastic risk in relation to the immune response and the oxidative stress. The main objective is to characterise the response of immunocompetent cells (ICCs) to variations in their microenvironment in relation to the tumour. This approach will eventually allow us to optimise the response capacities of the ICCs through targeted nutritional interventions (plant bioactives, pre/probiotics, vitamin D, physical exercise) with a preventive and/or therapeutic aim.

The team is developing research in the field of nutritional prevention of neoplastic risk in relation to the immune response and oxidative stress. The main objective is to characterise the response of immunocompetent cells (ICCs) to variations in their microenvironment, particularly due to the interaction with adipocytes. This is part of the field of immunonutrition with two major objectives:

  1. Identify the relationships between immune/inflammatory alterations and metabolic disorders in cancer. Our team focuses on cancers where the risks of occurrence, tumour escape and/or recurrence can be modulated by overweight/obesity (breast, Nash/liver in particular). In this context, our research work is devoted to the study of the interactions between mammary epithelial cells and their microenvironment (adipocyte, immune and inflammatory) in obesity.
  2. Maintain/optimise the response capacities of immunocompetent cells through targeted nutritional interventions in a preventive and/or therapeutic approach. To this end, a strategy for modulating the dialogue between the ICCs and other tissues (breast, intestine, lung in particular, microbiota) by using immunomodulating bioactives (pre- and probiotics, vitamin D, plant bioactives) and/or by varying physical exercise is being developed.

One of the specificities of our team is to select and evaluate plants/bioactives of natural origin with effects on immunocompetent cells and/or with anti-proliferative activity thanks to our combined skills in phytochemistry and biology.

Methodology: Our work is carried out in a transversal approach combining innovative cellular (2 and 3D, organoids) and animal models (hypercaloric diet, enriched environment, physical exercise) and clinical research protocols. To this end, molecular (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and functional (via flow/image cytometry, imaging, impedancemetry, etc.) approaches are used.
 

Other GCCA partners

  • Jean PERRIN Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital - Hepatology and Gastro-Enterology Department