Thrombo-inflammation is a complex process which involves activation of innate as well as adaptive immunity to participate in close coordination with the coagulation system to mediate inflammation-associated cellular dysfunction. Disease promoting stimuli such as hyperglycemia, genetic risk factors, or thrombophilia trigger inter-cellular cross-talk. Coagulation regulators expressed by a wide variety of cells such as endothelial cells, trophoblast cells, immune cells or tissue-resident cells regulate this cross-talk and therefore thrombo-inflammation. Platelets, popularly known for their role in maintaining hemostasis, are increasingly recognized as key regulators of vascular inflammation. Cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate intercellular communication through cargos composed of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Following activation by a wide variety of agonists, platelets and other cell types release a wide range of biologically active substances and EVs. While platelets and EVs are physiologically required during development, they are also involved in vascular complications, such as in pregnancy or renal vascular diseases.
The focus of our research group is to better understand mechanisms of thrombo-inflammation in physiological (development) and pathological conditions and establish targeted therapies. Current projects in our group aim at studying the role of platelets and procoagulant EVs in thrombo-inflammation during pregnancy, in utero priming and renal vascular diseases. Particularly, we are focusing on studying the cross talk between platelets, neutrophils and macrophages in the placenta and kidney.
We are employing several mouse models and state of the art techniques such as microfluidics, nanoparticle tracking analysis and unbiased approaches including OLINK and single-cell RNA-seq. Studying the role of thrombo-inflammatory mediators in vascular complications will lay the ground for the identification of new biomarkers and potential therapies. The projects are funded by the DFG and BMBF.
