Current Projects

• Role of LN macrophages in the activation of naïve CD4+ T cells 
  Submitted by Helen Simkins  (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA,, United States) 4/13/2010
  We have previously shown for activation and proliferation of naïve CD4+ T cells there is a requirement for direct antigen presentation by both lymphoid-resident and migratory DC. It has been suggested by others that macrophages present in the LN also play a role in the activation of T and B cells. We would like to assess whether macrophages in LN play a role in activation of naive CD4+ T cells in our model system. To evaluate this we will deplete macrophages using clodronate liposomes.



• Macrophages in experimental infections of wild-derived inbred strains of mice 
  Submitted by Jean-Jacques PANTHIER  (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France) 8/4/2010
  To further decipher the host-pathogen interaction in mice, we currently study the role of different hematopoietic lineages in experimental infections. We take advantage of strains derived from progenitors of various Mus subspecies recently trapped in the wild. This collection of wild-derived inbred strains encompasses genetic variation accumulated over one million years offering a much larger genetic variation than classical laboratory strains. To assess the role of macrophages following bacteria and viral infections we are willing to deplete them in vivo by injection of clodronate liposomes.
  More: http://www.pasteur.fr/recherche/gfons



• Cyclophosphamide induces monocyte recruitment in immunized mice 
  Submitted by Nathalie Wathelet  (ULB belgium, Gosselies, Belgium) 7/4/2010
  Cyclophophamide, an alkylating agent, is known to induce tumor rejection by its cytotoxic effect but also by reducing regulatory T cell proportion. We demonstrate that the injection of cyclophosphamide in immunized mice could also increase Th1 responses and induce recruitment of monocytes in draining lymph nodes. In order to determine the importance of these cells in an immune response, we would like to deplete them in vivo by injection of clodronate liposomes.



• Macrophages and saturated fat 
  Submitted by Frits Mattijssen (Nutrition, metabolism, and genomics group)  (Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands, The) 6/4/2010
  We aim to address the role of macrophages in the response to a high fat diet containing mainly saturated fat.
  More: http://nutrigene.4t.com



• The role of CD47 in the rejection of non-hematopoietic cells mediated by macrophages 
  Submitted by Nalu Navarro-Alvarez  (COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, New York, United States) 5/4/2010
  To investigate the role that macrophages have trough CD47-SIRP alpha interaction in the rejection process of non-hematopoietic cellular grafts.



• NEURONAL MYELIN UPTAKE CAUSES NEURODEGENERATION IN CORTICAL MS LESIONS 
  Submitted by David Pitt  (The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States) 2/4/2010
  We made the observation that neurons in human cortical MS lesions contain myelin debris suggesting that neurons participate in scavenging myelin debris during demyelination. We hypothesize that phagocytosis of myelin is neurotoxic to neurons and a major cause of neurodegeneration in cortical MS lesions. This is being tested in several models of neuronal myelin uptake, mouse cortical neuronal cultures exposed to myelin in vitro and focal cortical demyelination induced in mice in vivo.



• Analysis of LTR-specific recombinase 
  Submitted by Ilona Hauber, Dr.   (Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Hamburg, Germany) 4/2/2010
  The antiviral activity of an HIV-1 LTR-specific recombinase is analyzed in infected "humanized" mice engrafted with human CD4+ T cells.



• the role of macrophages in wound healing and hypertrophic scars formation in rabbits 
  Submitted by Luo Hongmin  (Shantou University, Shantou，Guangdong Province, China) 4/1/2010
  We are interested in the role of macrophages in skin wound healing and hypertrophic scars formation in rabbits.Our aim is to deplete the macrophages/monocytes of rabbits and to see whether it will promote the skin wound healing process and prevent scar fomation or not.
  More: http://www.med.stu.edu.cn



• Microglia depletion from retinas 
  Submitted by Steven F Abcouwer  (Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States) 1/4/2010
  Using clodronate liposomes to deplete retinas of microglial cells in order to determine the effect on neurodegeneration.



• Role of cutaneous macrophages in inflammatory activation 
  Submitted by Zaki Rabhan  (University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom) 3/30/2010
  We are interested in characterising the role of interactions between langerhans cells and skin macrophages in the development of inflammation.