The Medical University of Bialystok (MUB) has received funding for a project entitled 'Analysis of the number, function and apoptosis of regulatory T-cells in children and adolescents in autoimmune thyroid diseases’ under the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange programme entitled ‘Joint NAWA research projects between the Republic of Poland and the Italian Republic (CANALETTO)’.
It is worth mentioning that the Medical University of Białystok is the only Polish medical university, which received funding in this call.
The project has an international character and will be implemented in cooperation with a partner university from Italy, i.e. the Università degli Studi di Messina (Dipartimento di Patologia Umana dell'Adulto e dell'Età Evolutiva ‘Gaetano Barresi’). Due to the nature of the call, an analogous application was submitted by the partner university to the Italian institution, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy (MAECI). Only projects that received positive decisions from both institutions and were selected by the Joint Commission received funding.
The project will be implemented in the period from 01.01.2025 to 31.12.2026.
The project will be headed by Professor Artur Bossowski, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Diabetology with Cardiology Divisions, provincial consultant in pediatric endocrinology and diabetology.
Dr Beata Sawicka, Dr Hanna Borysewicz-Sańczyk and Dr Karolina Stożek from the Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Diabetology with Cardiology Divisions at the MUB will also be involved in the project.
The coordinator of activities on the Italian partner's side will be Professor Małgorzata Waśniewska.
Professor Bossowski, together with colleagues from the above-mentioned department and in collaboration with the Italian centre, has prepared the concept of the proposal and the substantive input.
The project team from the MUB's Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Diabetology with Cardiology Divisions:
Project team from Poland (MUB) and Italy (Messina):
On behalf of the university, the application has been submitted by the International Cooperation Department, which will also be responsible for the administration of the project.
Purpose and scope of the project:
The results of few studies, indicate the significant role of regulatory T Iymphocytes (Treg) in disorders of immunological tolerance to the body's own antigens. It was also
demonstrated a strong correlation between a loss of Treg function and a development of thyroiditis in animals. A deficiency and impairment of Treg function may be a
reason for the development of thyroid auto-immunological diseases (TAID).
The purpose of the research will be:
1. Evaluation of RTL count in children with newly diagnosed Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto-type thyroiditis (HT) and in the course of the applied therapy, comparison
with the control group,
2. Analysis of RTL function in both groups and of expression of genes essential for their function,
3. Evaluation of RTL apoptosis in both groups,
4. Comparison of count and apoptosis of intra-thyroid and peripheral RTL in the group of patients with GD and HT who received a surgical treatment,
5. Identification of selected cytokines in follicular thyroid cells in patients with TAID in the post-surgical material before and after administration of cellular stimulators,
6. Correlations of immunological markers in both study groups with clinical and biochemical parameters: goitre size, the level of ophthalmopathy, antithyroid antibodies and
thyroid hormones.
Obtained results of immunogenetic studies of patients in both countries may select a predisposing group to the appearance of other autoimmunopathies in the polyglandular
autoimmune syndrome (APSs), which may allow to monitor of children in the early preclinical stage of diseases. Therefore, understanding of the regulation of an
immunological process on the molecular level may contribute not only to better understanding of the pathogenesis of TAID in childhood, but also can create new diagnostic,
prognostic and therapeutic opportunities.
In addition, the implementation of the project will enhance cooperation with this Italian university. MUB has concluded a bilateral cooperation agreement with University of Messina in 2015.
Funding:
The project includes funding for mobility costs only. Travel costs of MUB researchers to Italy (Messina) and living costs of Italian researchers during their stay at UMB will be covered. The purpose of the MUB researchers' travel to the Italian partner will be, among other things, to participate in patient qualification, to create a database, to participate in DNA isolation and genetic testing, and to participate in the analysis of immunogenetic studies.
International Cooperation Department
Project co-funded by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange programme ‘NAWA Joint Research Projects between the Republic of Poland and the Italian Republic’ (CANALETTO).