INFLA-AID · The role of NLRC4 inflammasome in autoinflammatory diseases
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2018-10-01 → 2021-01-29
- EU contribution
- €172,800
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
The role of NLRC4 inflammasome in autoinflammatory diseases
"Our immune system provides a protective mechanism to control and eliminate elements from pathogenic microbes and toxic substances. Upon bacterial infection, such as the foodborne illness caused by Salmonella, our innate immune system initiates an inflammatory response by activating ""inflammasomes"". These multiprotein platforms process proinflammatory cytokines, which are signalling molecules released into the extracellular matrix to resolve the infection. Although inflammasome-mediated signalling pathways are highly regulated to avoid unwanted immune responses, a gain-of-function mutation in these pathways can cause hyperactivation of the inflammasome. This leads to overproduction of inflammasome-regulated cytokines and provokes autoinflammatory diseases (AID). Recently, gain-of-function mutations in the NLRC4 inflammasome have been attributed to the manifestation of NLRC4-associated AID (NLRC4-AID). In these patients, the onset of life-threatening systematic inflammation begins already at infancy. What is common amongst NLRC4-AID patients is their limited response to IL-1 inhibitors typically administered for AIDs. The objective of the INFLA-AID project is to identify how a mutation in the NLRC4 protein is causing such devastating AID by characterising some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the activation of the NLRC4 inflammasome."
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Our immune system provides a protective mechanism to control and eliminate elements from pathogenic microbes and toxic substances. Upon bacterial infection, our innate immune system initiates a pro-inflammatory response by activating the ""inflammasomes"". These multiprotein platforms activate caspase-1 to produce proinflammatory cytokines. An array of highly regulated inflammasome-mediated signalling pathways are identified. When the signalling pathway is hyperactivated, overproduction of the downstream cytokines provokes autoinflammatory diseases (AID). Recently, gain-of-function mutations in the NLRC4 inflammasome have been attributed for the manifestation of NLRC4-associated AID (NLRC4-AID). The clinical symptoms vary in these patients, except that the onset of life-threatening systematic inflammation begins at infancy. What is common amongst the NLRC4-AID patients is their limited response to IL-1b inhibitors typically administered for AID. I have joined the Lamkanfi lab to unravel the aetiology and pathogenesis of the NLRC4-AID. While the NLRC4 inflammasome has been vigorously studied at the molecular level, in vivo data are restricted to knock-out mouse models. Using the NLRC4-Flag knock-in mice, I will analyse in vivo NLRC4 protein levels and expression patterns to locate organs and cell types important for NLRC4-mediated inflammation. Next, NLRC4 mutant mice generated in the host lab will be used to identify how the hyperactivation of NLRC4 alters its signalling pathway and promotes AID. The role of downstream cytokine signalling will be assessed by breeding NLRC4 mutant mice to animals deficient in various immune components, which are available from the host institute. This study will provide first acumen into how an NLRC4 mutation causes an autoinflammatory disease, and will contribute to a better understanding of inflammasomopathies. By working closely with clinicians, we aim to mitigate the symptoms in patients with aberrant NLRC4 inflammasome activities.""
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- VIB VZW · ZWIJNAARDE - GENTCoordinatorBelgium
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union