Neuronal control of phagocytes during CNS inflammation

• Applicants: Professorin Florence Bareyre, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Martin Kerschensteiner
• Subject Area: Experimental Models for the Understanding of Nervous System Diseases ; Molecular and Cellular Neurology and Neuropathology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 523862973

The regulation of immune responses in the nervous system determines the course of neurological conditions with primary CNS inflammation, such as the common autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS) but also of conditions, in which inflammation arises secondary to traumatic injuries to the brain and spinal cord. Classically we focus on how inflammatory reactions affect the CNS, but it is getting increasingly clear that resident cells including neurons also play an active role in shaping immune reactions in the CNS. Indeed, in our preliminary work we can show (i) that macrophages adapt their phenotypes in inflammatory lesions in response to CNS derived signals and (ii) that the neuronal guidance molecule netrin is a key component of this neuronal instruction of CNS inflammation. In this project we now want to provide a comprehensive characterization of the molecular signaling streams that mediate neuronal control of phagocyte actions.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5705: NeuroFlame – Defence and demise of inflamed neurons