Team François RASSENDREN
Purinergic signaling and brain inflammation
Project Targeting Mast Cells in Neuroinflammation
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Mast cells are tissue-resident immune cells best known for their role in allergy, but they also participate in immune responses. Emerging evidence points to a role for mast cells in neuroinflammation, where they likely communicate with microglia and astrocytes. In this project we address the role of mast cells in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease using mouse models and in vitro approaches.
IRAP endosomes as druggable targets in neuroinflammation.
IRAP endosomes represent a highly conserved, regulated endosomal compartment. Their physiological functions are divers and cell-type dependent. In mast cells and macrophages, they are required for the secretory trafficking of inflammatory cytokines (Weimershaus et al., JACI 2023). The regulated trafficking and subcellular interactions of IRAP endosomes have been studied in detail, and inhibitors are available, allowing for further exploration of IRAP endosomes as targets for therapeutic intervention in neuroinflammation.
Regulation and trafficking of IRAP endosomes (left) and anti-inflammatory effect upon IRAP depletion (right).
Main publications
• Weimershaus M., et al. (2023), JACI 151(6)
Funding
• CNRS Junior Professor funding
Collaborations
• Olivier Hermine (Paris)
Patents
• Weimershaus M. et al., EP 21306677.2, 2022.
