Innovative Approach to Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) Applied for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

This project will allow to experiment the Fecal microbiota transplantation in the CKD model and to set up a pharmaceutical formulation of fecal suspensions of microbiota. Firstly, a collection of fecal samples from healthy volunteers will be set up, with the aim to collect biological samples. Screening and enrollment of healthy volunteers, gathering personal and clinical information together with eating habits, will be performed. The best product design in efficacy, stability over time as well as suitable excipients and any other active components able to perform a synergistic action will be evaluated. After defining the pharmaceutical formulation, the production of the prototype will be finalized. In a second time in vivo studies on a model of CKD (uremic mouse with CKD induced by 5/6 nephrectomy) will be designed and carried on. The CKD model will be used to evaluate the effects and the outcomes of FMT on clinical parameters such as renal function, circulating levels of uremic toxins, state and function of the intestinal microbiota, intestinal permeability and microbiota composition. This step will be necessary to establish the efficacy of the innovative prototype for the colonization and the modulation of intestinal microbiota following FMT.