SFB / Transregio 23
"Vascular Differentiation and Remodeling"

Mannheim - Heidelberg - Frankfurt

Prof. Dr. Markus Hecker University of Heidelberg Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology Division of Cardiovascular Physiology Im Neuenheimer Feld 326 D-69120 Heidelberg Phone: 0049 (0)6221 54 4035 Lab Homepage
	hecker(at)physiologie.uni-hd.de
C6: Endothelial cell-platelet-leukocyte interaction in vascular remodeling: Role of CD40/CD154-mediated co-stimulation
CD40 signaling in endothelial cells (EC) constitutes a powerful pro-inflammatory stimulus that is viewed as a hallmark of atherogenesis. It is not clear, though, which cell capable of expressing the corresponding ligand (T cells, platelets) is ultimately responsible for this pro-inflammatory EC activation. Therefore, the project examines the relative extent by which CD40-CD154 driven EC-leukocyte, EC-platelet and/or platelet-leukocyte interactions contribute to the initiation and/or manifestation of atherosclerosis. It focuses on the interaction of type 1 T-helper cells, natural T-regulatory cells and monocyte/macrophages with both endothelial cells and platelets as well as with each other and primarily employ reverse genetics techniques in vitro and in vivo.