Project Details
Projekt
Interactions of human mast cells with bacteria and bacterial products: relevance for inflammatory bowel disease
Applicant
Professor Dr. Stephan Bischoff
Subject Area
Dermatology
Term
from 2009 to 2013
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 125111606
The objective of the proposal is to understand the mechanisms and the functional implications of interactions between mucosal mast cells (MC) and bacteria or bacterial products of the intestinal microbiota in health and disease. In the past, we found that human mucosal MC respond with enhanced mediator release and cytokine production towards gram-negative bacteria of the intestinal microbiota. This response is likely not dependent on Toll-like receptors (TLR), because our data showed that TLR ligands fail to induce mediator and cytokine release in human intestinal (hiMC). A possible mechanism is bacterial hemolysin we identified as potent trigger of hiMC mediator release. In the 2nd funding period, we will further investigate the mechanisms involved in MC activation by commensal bacteria or bacterial products. Secondly, we will study MC responses to bacteria in inflammatory conditions in humans and in mice. Third, we will evaluate whether probiotics modulate MC-bacteria interactions and whether mast cell mediators modulate the composition and the function of the intestinal microbiota. By answering these questions, we will enhance our understanding of mast cell-bacteria interactions, and mast cell functions in the host’s response and control of the intestinal microbiota. Moreover, our approach should give new insight into the mechanisms of relevant diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases and other diseases associated with gut barrier impairments.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
