Identifikation av nya principer kring type 2 immunitet och eosinofili vid vävnadsinflammation

Aims: This project represents an internationally leading effort for decoding the immune mechanisms regulating eosinophilic inflammation in respiratory diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis, and COPD).

In the process we investigate the prevailing paradigm pointing out type 2 immunity in the tissue as key inflammatory driver.

We have preliminary data to hypothesize that instead of local type 2 immunity, other mechanisms such as the IL-33-ST2 axis and mast cells perpetuate the inflammation.

Using cutting-edge histological mapping of immune cell patterns and spatially resolved high-plex mRNA profiling we aim to identify immune cells and molecular pathways that are specifically linked with tissue eosinophilia.

Work Plan: Tissues from multiple large clinical studies are subjected to cutting-edge histology-based immune cell profiling, allowing automated identification and spatial mapping of all major immune cell populations within one tissue section.

Cellular and molecular pathways that are linked with patchy eosinophil-rich microenvironments are identified by spatial statistics.

The molecular profiling in eosinophil microenvironments are also analyzed by high-plex mRNA profiling using the nanostring Geomx platform.

Importance: The project will set a new standard for mapping tissue inflammation and is estimated to rewrite the prevailing concepts about tissue eosinophilia and how this trait can be further targeted for improved personalized medication.