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Biol Med Case Rep 2017 | Volume 1 Issue 2
November 06-07, 2017 | New Orleans, USA
Nanomedicine & Healthcare
Global Meet on
Human mast cell response to nanosurfaces: Balancing innate and adaptive immunity
Marianna Kulka
National Institute for Nanotechnology, Canada
L
ocatedatmucosal surfacesandsurroundingbloodvesselsand
nerves, human mast cells are uniquely situated to regulate
the function of the vasculature, to initiate the recruitment and
activation of leukocytes into tissues and to trigger physiological
responses that are mediated by the nervous system. Mast
cells are primarily responsible for the acute allergic response
to allergen exposure, including bronchoconstriction and
edema. Mast cells and immunoglobulin E (IgE) are also felt to
be important in the evolution of allergic late phase responses,
which are largely responsible for the pathogenesis of chronic
allergic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis and rhinitis.
Our recent research has shown that human mast cells respond
to a vast array of proteins, each of which activates a unique
signaling pathway through specific surface receptors. Our
laboratory is interested inmodulating humanmast cell function
using proteins, lipid nanoparticles and silver oxysalt nanofibers
with the goal of producing hypoallergenic nanosurfaces. In
one of our projects, we have focused on complement and
specific complement protein receptors. The anaphylatoxin C5a
regulates diverse innate and adaptive immune responses by
chemoattracting and activating immune cells, such asmast cells
(MC). It is postulated that C5a regulates human MC function by
activating a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) However, C5a
can bind to C5aR, a G protein-coupled receptor, or C5L2, not
coupled to G proteins and thought to activate distinct signaling
cascades. The presence and role of C5L2 in human MC remain
unknown. Using a human mast cell model that expresses
C5L2 but not C5aR, we have shown that C5L2 is a functional
receptor, capable of modulating specific mast cell responses.
C5a activates LAD2 cytokine and chemokine production and
initiates adhesion and migration by human mast cells. Our
research suggests that functionalizing surfaces with specific
proteins may be an effective way of modulating human mast
cell responses and regulating allergic inflammation.
Speaker Biography
Marianna Kulka is currently a Group Leader and Project Leader at the National Institute
for Nanotechnology located at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. She is also
an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at
the University of Alberta. Currently, she is investigating the role of G protein-coupled
receptors in inflammatory disease and mast cell activation pathways. Her focus is on
activation pathways of human mast cells and their regulation of human inflammatory
diseases. Her work aims to use novel nano-packaging strategies to manipulate these
pathways. She has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and serves
on several review panels, including national and international granting agencies.
e:
marianna.kulka@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca