Detailseite
Projekt
The role of mast cells in the restriction of inflammation after brain trauma and spinal cord injury
Antragsteller
Professor Dr. Sven Hendrix
Fachliche Zuordnung
Dermatologie
Förderung
Förderung von 2009 bis 2014
Projektkennung
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 124272490
In the last funding period, we demonstrated that mast cells (MC) may exert protective effects in the central nervous system (CNS) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). We found that MC-deficient mice display increased inflammation, astrogliosis and neurodegeneration after CNS trauma. We provide evidence that mast cell-specific proteases (MCP) degrade inflammatory factors such as MCP-1. In the next funding period, we will investigate 1. which other MCP degrade inflammation-associated factors and 2. whether MCP degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) components which inhibit axonal regeneration. In the planned project, we will investigate the role that MCPs play in controlling of CNS inflammation and ECM degradation in organotypic brain slices in vitro, as well as in models of TBI and SCI in vivo. In these trauma models we will analyze selected MCP-deficient mouse lines and administer recombinant MCPs or MCP inhibitors in wildtype mice. Furthermore, we will search for additional MCP substrates in these mouse lines compared to wildtype mice by using the cytometric bead array and western blotting. Promising candidates will be tested in degradation assays followed by MALDI-TOF analysis. By addressing these questions we wish to further characterize and exploit the therapeutic potential of MCP in CNS trauma.
DFG-Verfahren
Schwerpunktprogramme
Internationaler Bezug
Belgien
