Projects

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Functional characterisation of gut mast cells in irritable bowel syndrome. University of Antwerp

Heiko De Schepper
Laboratory Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics (LEMP)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common yet difficult to treat chronic disorder characterized by abdominal pain combined with diarrhea and/or constipation. Mast cells are tissue-resident immune cells which are involved In the pathophysiology of IBS by activating and sensitizing sensory nerves endings, but the mechanisms and mediators involved are unknown. We aim to study these mast cells using a novel culture model developed by the Laboratory ...

Exploring the role of a novel mast cell activation pathway in IBD and IBS models. University of Antwerp

Samuel Van Remoortel
Laboratory of cell biology and histology
Chronic abdominal pain is one of the most debilitating and untreatable symptoms in patients suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The last years it has become clear that aberrant gut mast cell functioning plays an important role in the pathophysiology of chronic abdominal pain, but it currently remains unclear which triggers and membrane receptors are involved in driving this aberrant mast cell ...

Mast cell activation tests (MAT): from an innovative diagnostic to the expansion of a service facility. University of Antwerp

Didier Ebo
Immunology
Drug hypersensitivity constitutes a significant health problem with serious consequences of both mis- and overdiagnosis. nfortunately, correct diagnosis of drug hypersensitivity can pose significant challenges, mainly because of our knowledge gaps in the molecular and pathophysiological processes underlying immediate and non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions but also, most importantly, because of the unavailability of reliable in vitro ...

Using molecular signaling profile in white blood cells measured by highly-sensitive mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics in the differential diagnosis between major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. University of Antwerp

Manuel Morrens
Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI)
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar spectrum disorder (BD) are severely debilitating mental disorders both characterized by an elaborate depressive symptomatology. In clinical reality, patients with either unipolar or bipolar depression often present with identical symptoms, resulting in a profile of clinically observable symptomatology that in itself remains insufficient for reliable and objective distinction and consequent correct ...

Role of dendritic cells in Th1/Th17-mediated immune diseases. University of Antwerp

Christiaan Vrints
Physiopharmacology (PHYSPHAR), Laboratory Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics (LEMP), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Primary and interdisciplinary care Antwerp (ELIZA), Translational Pathophysiological Research (TPR)
Dendritic cells (DCs) are central mediators that keep the balance between immunity to foreign antigens and immune tolerance to self-proteins. Disruption of this balance may lead to disease. We aim to unravel the role of DCs in T-helper (Th)1/Th17-mediated immune diseases (including inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis), with the purpose to design novel DC-targeted therapeutic strategies.

Induction of IgA2 class switching in human Ige+B cells as theraphy for allergic disease Ghent University

Bart Lambrecht
Department of Internal medicine

Abstract (max. 60 woorden): IgE plays a central role in allergy by activating mast cells and facilitating allergen presentation to Th2 lympghocytes. Accumulating evidence suggests that IgA plays a protective role in allergy by antagonizing the effects of IgE. Therefore using three proven IgA promoting regimens: IL-21+TGFB1, cholera toxin B (CTB) and Lactococci engineerd to express allergen and CTB

Mastocytosis and Hymenoptera Venom Allergy - Unraveling the enigmatic link between two unusual diseases KU Leuven

Dominique Bullens
Department of Human Genetics, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Research Group

Mastocytosis (Ms) is a rare and heterogenous myeloproliferative disorder affecting 2 in 10,000. It affects all age groups and exists in many different forms, ranging from a benign skin rash to agressive haematological neoplasms. Because of its rarity and complexity, much concerning pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis remains unknown. In recent years, the association between Ms and hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA) has been ...

Drug-induced anaphylaxis via MRGPRX2 occupation: introduction of a new human model. University of Antwerp

Vito Sabato
Immunology
Increasing lines of evidence indicate that mast cells (MC) degranulation from off-target occupation of the Mas-related G protein coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2) constitutes a novel endotype of IgE/FcεRI (high affinity receptor for IgE) -independent drug anaphylaxis. However, most of the data have been gathered in mice or in malignant mast cell lines. In contrast to MC, MRPGPRX2 is barely expressed on basophils membrane but quickly upregulated ...

Are mas-related gene receptors involved in irritable bowel syndrome? University of Antwerp

Roeland Buckinx
Laboratory of cell biology and histology
Mas-related gene receptors (Mrg) form a family of G-protein coupled receptors that has been implicated in nociception and mast cell activation. Previous work from our research group points towards a strong plasticity and role of the Mrg receptor family in intestinal inflammation. We now want to explore whether expressional changes of the Mrg receptor family are specific to inflammatory bowel disorders or also occur in irritable bowel syndrome ...