Project Details

Defining Microbial Drivers of Oral Immunotherapy Response in Children

Maria Sacta, MD, PhD

Summary

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiome disruption contributes to food allergies, but its role in developing tolerance during oral immunotherapy (OIT) is unclear. This study aims to define how OIT promotes tolerance by tracking changes in the pediatric gut microbiome and metabolome. GAP: There is limited mechanistic understanding of how OIT alters the gut microbiome and metabolome. It remains unclear which changes are required for tolerance and how they influence immune pathways. HYPOTHESIS: Successful oral immunotherapy induces specific gut microbial and metabolomic changes that both correlate with clinical desensitization and reduce susceptibility to food allergen sensitization. METHODS: The study combines a longitudinal cohort of children undergoing oral immunotherapy to identify microbiome and metabolome changes linked to treatment success. RESULTS: Pending. IMPACT: The study will clarify microbial mechanisms of OIT, enabling development of microbiome-based diagnostics and therapies to improve outcomes and prevent food allergies. Website Link: https://www.chop.edu/research-studies/oral-desensitization