Inflammasome activity and regulation in neutrophils

The inflammasome is crucial for the innate immune system to mount an early and potent inflammatory response against e.g. invading microorganisms. Ever since the initial description of the inflammasome in 2002, researchers have been focusing on cells of mononuclear origin such as monocytes and macrophages with their abundant release of potent inflammatory cytokines. However, neutrophils also assemble inflammasome activity but possibly with different end result than massive cytokine release. The lack of readily quantified responses together with the fact that inflammasomes in neutrophils are not activated by the same methods developed for monocytic cells has historically rendered neutrophil inflammasomes a lacking interest from the research community. Being the most abundant white blood cell in circulation (up to 75% of all white blood cells), the neutrophil inflammatory response and interactions must be unveiled as we know little about the regulatory mechanisms of neutrophils.

• The project revolves around method development for neutrophil inflammasome research to describe the pathways, intermediates and control of neutrophil inflammasome activation.