Modulating macrophages and platelets in hepatocellular carcinoma and infection
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.
Principal Investigators:
Prof. Dr. Detlef Schuppan & Jun.-Prof. Dr. Carsten Deppermann
(Photos: Universitätsmedizin Mainz)