Summary
Despite playing essential roles in immunity against microbes, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning macrophage (mac) responses to microbial insults remain incompletely understood. In the liver, Kupffer cells (KCs) the tissue-resident macs, reside in the bloodstream of the liver sinusoids and are thus ideally positioned to recognize and phagocytize microbes and microbe-derived components critically contributing to systemic immune surveillance. In addition, KCs are thought to play central roles in maintaining tolerance for example to gut microbiota and/or their products which reach the liver through the portal vein. Upon inflammation/infection, monocytes are also often recruited to liver which, in addition to KCs, participate in immune defence and tissue repair and can differentiate into recruited macs (rMacs). Due to similar expression profiles and functions it has not been possible to unambiguously discriminate between resident KCs and rMacs in the past hampering our understanding of the processes underlying hepatic mac activation by microbes and microbial components. By combining my expertise in host-microbe interactions with the expertise of the host lab in myeloid cell biology, here, I aim to dissect the mac responses to microbial insult in the liver. To achieve this, I will use KC-specific mouse models and human liver organoids combined with novel single cell technologies, with a focus on mac fate, activation profile and tissue context. My preliminary data demonstrate that systemic microbial insult leads to significant heterogeneity within the hepatic mac pool and hence I hypothesize that individual populations may become differentially activated in order to effectively clear microbes and microbial components from the liver. Understanding the processes underpinning mac activation by microbes/microbial products may allow us to manipulate these responses with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.
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More information & hyperlinks
| Web resources: | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101027317 |
| Start date: | 01-04-2021 |
| End date: | 31-03-2023 |
| Total budget - Public funding: | 166 320,00 Euro - 166 320,00 Euro |
Cordis data
Original description
Despite playing essential roles in immunity against microbes, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning macrophage (mac) responses to microbial insults remain incompletely understood. In the liver, Kupffer cells (KCs) the tissue-resident macs, reside in the bloodstream of the liver sinusoids and are thus ideally positioned to recognize and phagocytize microbes and microbe-derived components critically contributing to systemic immune surveillance. In addition, KCs are thought to play central roles in maintaining tolerance for example to gut microbiota and/or their products which reach the liver through the portal vein. Upon inflammation/infection, monocytes are also often recruited to liver which, in addition to KCs, participate in immune defence and tissue repair and can differentiate into recruited macs (rMacs). Due to similar expression profiles and functions it has not been possible to unambiguously discriminate between resident KCs and rMacs in the past hampering our understanding of the processes underlying hepatic mac activation by microbes and microbial components. By combining my expertise in host-microbe interactions with the expertise of the host lab in myeloid cell biology, here, I aim to dissect the mac responses to microbial insult in the liver. To achieve this, I will use KC-specific mouse models and human liver organoids combined with novel single cell technologies, with a focus on mac fate, activation profile and tissue context. My preliminary data demonstrate that systemic microbial insult leads to significant heterogeneity within the hepatic mac pool and hence I hypothesize that individual populations may become differentially activated in order to effectively clear microbes and microbial components from the liver. Understanding the processes underpinning mac activation by microbes/microbial products may allow us to manipulate these responses with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.Status
CLOSEDCall topic
MSCA-IF-2020Update Date
28-04-2024
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