CeMM: Macrophages and their Control System

The understanding of inflammatory processes is the main focus of the translational research of Sylvia Knapp, Principal Investigator at CeMM and Professor of Infection Biology at the Medical University of Vienna. Her group now discovered a critical modulator of the innate immune response to bacterial peritonitis, which can probably provide a novel therapeutic target to improve outcome from severe bacterial infections and sepsis. In a second project, the Knapp group identified a new actor in macrophage biology, which plays an important role in pneumonia. Sylvia Knapp: “In both studies we succeeded to elucidate underlying molecular mechanisms that undermine the critical importance of macrophages in the immune system during severe infections.” The studies, “WAVE1 mediates suppression of phagocytosis by phospholipid-derived danger associated molecular patterns”, and “Lipocalin 2 deactivates macrophages and worsens pneumococcal pneumonia outcomes”, have recently been published in the renowned Journal of Clinical Investigation. Giulio Superti-Furga, Scientific Director of CeMM: “We take the achievements of Sylvia Knapp and her team as evidence for the invaluable asset of a close collaboration of medical doctors and molecular microbiologists, the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Medical University of Vienna, which is likely to contribute to effective target oriented treatments.”
(Read more)

Link to Paper 1: Matt U. et al.: WAVE1 mediates suppression of phagocytosis by phospholipid-derived danger associated molecular patterns
Link to paper 2: Warszawska J. et al.: Lipocalin 2 deactivates macrophages and worsens pneumococcal pneumonia outcomes