Reglering av mastcellers utveckling och aktivitet vid hälsa och sjukdom

Mast cells are sentinel cells, of hematological origin, located in all tissues where they regulate innate and adaptive immune responses, as well as tissue reactions. They have an important role for tissue surveillance and crucial initiators of acute inflammation.

Mast cell activation is associated with many diseases, primarily mastocytosis, urticaria, allergy and asthma, but also many other chronic inflammatory diseases and tumours.

The long term goal of my research is to enable treatment of mast cell associated diseases by regulating mast cell activation, inhibition of mast cell mediators and/or inducing mast cell apoptosis.

To achieve this goal, we need to understand the biology of mast cells and the mechanisms regulating their functions both under normal and pathological conditions.

In our research we make use of clinical samples (with a focus on systemic mastocytosis) and cell models to address the hypotheses made.

We investigate regulation of mast cell development and function; and mast cell heterogeneity by advanced flow cytometry, RNA sequencing, and mast cell activation and release of mediators by proteomic assays.Significance: Mast cells play a pathologic role in many diseases.

Deciphering the mechanisms by which mast cells are activated and survive has obvious implications in understanding the aetiology of mast cell-mediated inflammations and to design therapeutic approaches.