Current Projects

• in vivo exon skipping 
  Submitted by Sjef Verbeek  (LUMC, Leiden, Netherlands, The) 12/16/2009
  Specfic AONs interfering with the splicing machinery can induce exon skipping resulting in truncated mRNA. This technology can be used to generate specific (truncated ) proteins both for fundamental research and for treatment of particular diseases (e.g. muscle dystrophy). Macrophages might be one of the major cell types which take up these AONs when administrated systemically. Therefore targeting efficiency of these AONs will be analysed in the absence and presence of macrophages.



• RESPONSE TO ERYTHROID STRESS IN MICE TREATED WITH LIP-CLOD. 
  Submitted by Thalia Papayannopoulou  (University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States) 12/15/2009
  Macrophages in hematopoietic tissues have been considered as an erythroid niche for the development of the final stages of erythroid cell maturation. Using normal animals treated with Lip-Clod, we wish to assess to what extent the erythroid response to RBC hemolytic agent (APH) is compromised after a single injection of Lip-Clod. Documentation of macrophage ablation in spleen will be done by histochemical or immunological assessment of F480+ cells in spleen post Lip-Clod treatment. Erythroid populations will be assessed at the progenitor level and at distinct stages of differentiation.



• The role of macrophage derived IL-18 in vascular remodeling  
  Submitted by Luis Rodriguez- Menocal  (University of Miami, Miami, United States) 12/15/2009
  Herein we want to demonstrate one of the mechanisms underlying the exaggerate post injury neointimal formation in the aged vasculature. We intend to demostrate that macrophages of pro-inflammatory phenotype are responsable for the exagerated accumualtion of IL-18 and therefore for the exacervation of neointimal development.



• Role of Macrophages in the induction of CD8+ T cell responses after HPV pseudovirions genital immunization 
  Submitted by Nicolas Cuburu  (National Cancer Institute - CCR, Bethesda, MD, United States) 12/15/2009
  GOAL: The reason I am asking for clodronate liposome is to evaluate the role of macrophages after human papillomavirus (HPV) pseudovirions genital immunization.
  More: http://ccr.nci.nih.gov/staff/staff.asp?profileid=5637



• The effect of macrophage depletion on the development of hypertension in SHR rats 
  Submitted by Christoph Schmaderer  (Klinikum rechts der Isar der technischen Universität München, München, Germany) 12/10/2009
  The main focus of our project is to determine the role of macrophages in the development of hypertension. Therefore we aim to deplete macrophages in SHR rats to see the development of hypertentension in these. We hypothesize an amelioration of blood pressure in macrophage depleted animals as perivascular inflammation triggered by macrophages is seen in histological sections.



• The effects of macrophages on renal injury in TRPV1knock out mice during DOCA-salt hypertension 
  Submitted by Youping Wang  (Michigan State University, USA, East Lansing, Michigan, United States) 9/12/2009
  We have found that infiltrating macrophages are increased in the kidney of TRPV1 knockout mice receiving DOCA-salt treatment compared to wild type mice. To determine the role of macrophages in the procedure, we want to delete the macrophages using liposome clodronate.



• IL-17 in liver fibrosis 
  Submitted by Fanli Meng  (UCSD Department of Medicine, La Jolla, California , United States) 9/12/2009
  We have found out that IL-17 can induce live fibrosis. We want to use IL-17R KO mice for bone marrow transplatation. So we want to order clodronate to use for BMT.



• Macrophage Depleting in Autoimmune Models 
  Submitted by Patrick Vollmar  (Klinikum rechts der Isar, Neurologie, München, Germany) 9/12/2009
  We need to deplete Macrophages before active immunization with a neuronal antigen to prove that the clinical phenotype in B6 mice is caused by infiltrating macrophages and not resident microglia.



• Role of macrophage in ovarian cancer metastasis 
  Submitted by Ho Hyung Woo  (Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, United States) 4/12/2009
  We are studying molecular aspects of ovarian cancer metastasis. Our study indicates M-CSF-1 is one of the causing factors in ovarian cancer metastasis. Since M-CSF-1 is expressed highly in macrophage, macrophage suicide by clodronate liposome can give a tool to understand the role of macrophage in ovarian cancer metastasis. Down regulation of macrophage may either prevent or activate ovarian cancer metastasis. In macrophage depleted-mouse model, ovarian cancer cells will be injected and monitor tumor development.
  More: http://www.azcc.arizona.edu/profile/ho-hyung-woo



• the role of macrophage in T cell responses against listeria monocytogenes infection 
  Submitted by Bo Huang  (Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, Hubei, China) 12/4/2009
  We try to deplete macrophages in listeria monocytogenes-infected mice, and then study T cell immune responses.