Modulating macrophages and platelets in hepatocellular carcinoma and infection (08)

• Subject Area: Immunology
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 318346496

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks among the five most prevalent cancers worldwide and has only limited treatment options. Tumor-associated M2-type macrophages (TAMs) actively suppress an effective immune response to HCC. Platelets interact with macrophages to regulate their polarization and inflammatory responses in cancer and infection. We plan to characterize this interaction and aim at developing novel targeted therapeutics to effectively treat these conditions with combined macrophage repolarizing and platelet modulating interventions in vitro and in HCC mouse models in vivo. The effect and safety of these interventions will be assessed in liver infection models.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1292: Targeting convergent mechanisms of inefficient immunity in tumors and chronic infections
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Carsten Deppermann; Professor Dr. Detlef Schuppan; Dr. Martin Sprinzl, until 12/2021