BIOCLAIMS

BIOmarkers of Robustness of Metabolic Homeostasis for Nutrigenomics-derived Health CLAIMS Made on Food

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The food and health relationship focuses on maintenance of optimal health, both in terms of physiology and new European legislation. Yet, most accepted biomarkers quantify (intermediate) disease endpoints or damage. This has led to major problems in demonstrating health benefits and establishing health claims, and blocks competitive economic and health developments in the food sector. BIOCLAIMS develops new biomarkers by exploiting the new concept of “health biomarkers” through quantification of the robustness of the homeostatic mechanisms involved in maintaining optimal health, based on the assumption that the ability to maintain homeostasis in a continuously challenged environment and changing physiology is key for healthy ageing. Mechanisms involved will be investigated during a series of food interventions in animal models and humans using “predisposed” conditions. Human models of presumed impaired robustness in maintaining metabolic and vascular health will be employed to study the responses of established and novel biomarkers to the challenging of homeostasis and to selected food interventions. Both advanced analytical methodology including nutrigenomics tools (transcriptomics, metabolomics, fatty acid composition, adipokine profile, macromolecule damage) and “whole body” physiological assessments will be exploited to derive a series of new biomarkers. Gender differences will be addressed. BIOCLAIMS thus delivers a series of robust biomarkers predictive of a healthy metabolic phenotype during ageing, based on stressors of homeostasis, These biomarkers will be fully characterized and evaluated for practical application in human nutrition, and compared to traditional ones. The consortium consists of 11 teams, balanced in gender and geographical distribution, with track records in animal physiology, human studies in the relevant health areas, nutrigenomics and new analytical approaches, and scientific assessment of health claims in the EU.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An EU research consortium is identifying nutrigenomics-derived biomarkers of metabolic health in animals and humans for the first time.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Biomarkers are a useful and robust method to quickly identify a disease or judge the effects of a drug or vaccine. However, there are very few biomarkers to measure the health benefits of supplements and natural foods.

The EU-funded http://bioclaims.uib.es/ (BIOCLAIMS) project aims to change that by applying high-throughput technologies to identifying biomarkers that correlate with good health or improvement in health from nutrition. Focusing on metabolic and vascular health, partners envision using these biomarkers to characterise a healthy metabolism and to test health claims associated with foods and supplements.

Consortium members are using various animal models of healthy or unhealthy ageing or metabolic health to investigate a wide range of genetic and biochemical biomarkers. The models include early-life interventions (such as limiting calories during gestation and/or lactation), as well as genetic and dietary models.

Using these models and methodologies, researchers have identified in solid tissues but also in easily accessible samples (blood cells, serum, urine) a large number and variety of candidate biomarkers associated with obesity and several other metabolic disorders. Biomarkers have been identified for healthy functioning of the liver, fat tissues, muscles and kidneys.

Another aspect of the project is testing its own findings in healthy and obese humans, as well as individuals with kidney problems. Over 500 potential markers were measured in these subjects, and several promising biomarkers have been identified for further study.

A database of nutrition-associated biomarkers has been set up, which will be continuously populated with data from the BIOCLAIMS project. Researchers hope that the project will lead to a set of reliable and easy-to-use biomarkers that can be used to improve human health.