Pulmonary Cystic Fibrosis

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) represents a rich source for countless biomarkers that can provide valuable information about respiratory as well as systemic diseases. Finding non-invasive methods for early detection of lung injury, inflammation and infectious complications in chronic diseases like (CF) Cystic fibrosis or (AB) Bronchial asthma would be highly beneficial. Investigators propose to establish EBC "breathprints" revealing molecular signatures of pulmonary inflammation and specific respiratory bacterial infections of CF patients and AB. Investigators hypothesize that the analysis of EBC can reveal biomarkers specific for severity of the inflammation, and infection caused by opportunistic pathogens such as P. aeruginosa (PA). With these breath-prints, investigators also propose to establish correlations between respiratory microbiota using traditional methods and CF lung disease severity. Together, the studies will advance the development and validation of EBC as a novel tool for the proper diagnosis of AB and monitoring of CF disease activity, treatment efficacy and PA or another opportunistic infections.

Most of the cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are or have been pulmonary colonized with bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus. Aim of this study is to detect virulence factor neutralizing antibodies in the sera of the study population followed by B cell repertoire analyses to design B cell-derived neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. The functionality of neutralizing antibodies rests on inhibition of virulence factors by binding of crucial epitopes rather than merely the induction of opsonization. Focusing on patients with bacterial colonization/chronic infections or a history of an acute infection in the past, will increase the likelihood for identification of serum with neutralizing activity as in vivo antigen contact is a prerequisite for antibody development and maturation. Since virulence factors are essential for infection, dissemination and tissue damage, inhibition of these factors by developed neutralizing antibodies might contribute to a favorable outcome of life-threatening infections.