Research team
Expertise
The Neuroimmunology lab studies the complex interactions between the immune and nervous systems. Immune-dependent processes are involved in diseases that were previously thought to be purely neurological disorders. Our ambition is to gain deeper knowledge of the neuro-immune interactions and advance our understanding of brain biology and pathology. Specifically, may team studies the role of T cells in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes, as the presence and potential function of these cells in the healthy brain remains to be fully understood. infact, our dual objective is to explore the contribution of T cells to mechanisms of brain plasticity and their impact on neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, with the mission of identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets/agents.
Immune mechanisms of experience induced brain plasticity: the contribution of T cells.
Abstract
During the last decade, impressive effects of environmental enrichment have been reported in a wide range of brain disorders both in rodents and humans. An enriched environment (EE) in experimental research is a manipulation of the standard housing condition that provides animals with increased levels of multisensory stimulation, physical activity and social interactions. Prolonged housing in EE promotes neuronal function, enhances learning and memory, and reduces stress and inflammatory responses. Alongside the neurological effects, the EE has a modulating effect upon the immune response. The mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between external stimulations and the neuro-immune axis are not yet understood. This project not only will allow us to start to mechanistically decipher how experience influences the interactions between the neurons and the immune system in rodents but also will open the opportunity to identify novel targets for the development of therapeutics that mimic and/or enhance the beneficial effects of cognitive therapy in humans.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Pasciuto Emanuela
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
Exploring the role of T cells in the ADNP deficiency model of syndromic autism.
Abstract
Loss-function mutations in the Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) gene have been linked to the Helsmoortel-Van der Aa Syndrome, a complex neurological disorder characterized by autism and intellectual disability. The Adnp mutant mice recapitulate key hallmark of autism spectrum disorders including learning deficit, increased anxiety and repetitive behavior. ADNP is involved in brain development and neuroprotection. In addition to the neuroprotective effect, ADNP also has immunomodulatory effects. ADNP is expressed in cells of the immune system and can suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Studies in Multiple Sclerosis have linked ADNP deficiency to reduced regulatory T cell function, an immunomodulatory subset of T cells. A better understanding of the immune changes associated with ADNP deficiency may provide clues to pathological processes and allow to identify biological markers that enable early diagnosis and treatment of ASD. In this project, we will explore the role of ADNP in T cells function, to this end will perform in depth characterization of the molecular and cellular signature acquired by T cells and microglia cell populations in the mutant mice. We hypothesize that in Adpn mice defective function of Regulatory T cells exacerbate the pathology. We will use a tailored gene therapy to specifically expand Regulatory T cells in the brain and evaluate the effect on the behaviour of the Adpn mutant miceResearcher(s)
- Promoter: Pasciuto Emanuela
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project