ANTIGEN-PRESENTING CELLS AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
Dendritic cells (DCs) as professional antigen presenting cells represent the link between a variety of non-self-antigens and adaptive immunity, orchestrating the quality and potency of immune responses. Considering the main role of DCs in the generation and/or regulation of the adaptive response, it is important to know the stimuli and/or signals involved in the modulation of its functionality.
The main axis of our work group is to try to understand the mechanisms involved during the activation of DCs that allow the polarization of responses of purely inflammatory etiology associated with the development of CD4+ (Th1/Th17/Th2) and/or CD8 (Tc1 /Tc2/Tc17). The interest of our findings is not only related to understanding the physiology of DCs, but also to the mechanisms that determine the immune/immunopathological balance. Particularly, in 3 central aspects;
1. The close relationship between mast cells and antigen presenting cells (APC; DCs, Macrophages) at the epithelial level of the skin and mucous membranes,
2. The high incidence of inflammatory pathologies with elevated levels of lipid mediators and histamine and/or their receptors and
3. The important immunomodulatory role of the autonomic nervous system, and the great relevance it has acquired in recent years at the level of the induction of pathologies of inflammatory etiology such as asthma and neoplastic processes.
Chair: Mónica Vermeulen, PhD.
CONICET Independent researcher
Email: mvermeulen@hematologia.anm.edu.ar
Co-Chair: Gabriela Salamone, PhD.
CONICET Independent reseacher
Email: salamone.gabriela@gmail.com