Cross-talk between innate immunity and extracellular vesicles (EV) forms a checkpoint regulating long-lasting neuroinflammation after brain injury (B05)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 408885537

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) cause primary tissue damage and activate glial cells to build glial border, thereby delineating the injured brain parenchyma from the healthy surrounding tissue. However, this necessary primary reaction of glial cells often persists. This long-lasting glial activation results in prolonged and exacerbated neuroinflammation that prevents tissue restoration. We propose that a cross-regulatory network between innate immunity pathways and EV cargo defines an important checkpoint that turns protective glial border cells into tissue scaring cells. We aim to identify EV cargos and their dependence on innate immunity pathways as drug-targetable molecular checkpoints to improve tissue regeneration.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 274: Checkpoints of Central Nervous System Recovery
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Jovica Ninkovic