Background. P. aeruginosa chronic colonization of CF airways is associated to physical changes, characterized by mucus hypersecretion, degradation of extracellular matrix, and high levels of sulphated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG).

Hypothesis and objectives. We hypothesized that during P. aeruginosa chronic lung infection there is an increasing concentration and sulphation of different sGAG, contributing to inflammation and tissue damage. Thus the objectives of this project were to establish the role of sGAG during P. aeruginosa chronic infection and to modulate the vicious inflammation-damage cycle using modified polysaccarides (PS) derived from heparin.