Overview
Inflammation is a response of the immune system that aims to defend the organism from pathogens and to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration in response to injury and infection. However, excessive or prolonged inflammation causes tissue damage and is involved in the pathogenesis of a plethora of inflammatory diseases. Chronic inflammation is also implicated in cancer development as well as in ageing and ageing-associated pathologies. Therefore, inflammatory responses need to be tightly regulated to ensure effective host defence and injury repair while preventing excessive tissue pathology and disease. This fine balance between the beneficial and potentially detrimental sides of inflammation is critical for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and organismal health. Our research aims to understand the mechanisms that regulate inflammation and the pathogenesis of inflammation-related diseases, ultimately aspiring to develop better therapeutic approaches.
Selected publications
Lin J, Kumari S, Kim C, Van T-M, Wachsmuth L, Polykratis A & Pasparakis M (2016). RIPK1 counteracts ZBP1-mediated necroptosis to inhibit inflammation. Nature, 540: 124-128
Vlantis K, Wullaert A, Polykratis A, Kondylis V, Dannappel M, Schwarzer R, Welz P, Corona T, Walczak H, Weih F, Klein U, Kelliher M & Pasparakis M (2016) NEMO Prevents RIP Kinase 1-Mediated Epithelial Cell Death and Chronic Intestinal Inflammation by NF-κB-Dependent and -Independent Functions. Immunity 44: 553–567
Kondylis V, Polykratis A, Ehlken H, Ochoa-Callejero L, Straub BK, Krishna-Subramanian S, Van T-M, Curth H-M, Heise N, Weih F, Klein U, Schirmacher P, Kelliher M & Pasparakis M (2015) NEMO Prevents Steatohepatitis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Inhibiting RIPK1 Kinase Activity-Mediated Hepatocyte Apoptosis. Cancer Cell 28: 582–598
Dannappel M, Vlantis K, Kumari S, Polykratis A, Kim C, Wachsmuth L, Eftychi C, Lin J, Corona T, Hermance N, Zelic M, Kirsch P, Basic M, Bleich A, Kelliher M & Pasparakis M (2014) RIPK1 maintains epithelial homeostasis by inhibiting apoptosis and necroptosis. Nature 513: 90–94
Welz PS, Wullaert A, Vlantis K, Kondylis V, Fernandez-Majada V, Ermolaeva M, Kirsch P, Sterner-Kock A, van Loo G, Pasparakis M (2011) FADD prevents RIP3-mediated epithelial cell necrosis and chronic intestinal inflammation. Nature 477: 330-334
Bonnet MC, Preukschat D, Welz PS, van Loo G, Ermolaeva MA, Bloch W, Haase I, Pasparakis M (2011) The Adaptor Protein FADD Protects Epidermal Keratinocytes from Necroptosis In Vivo and Prevents Skin Inflammation. Immunity 35: 572-582
Nenci A, Becker C, Wullaert A, Gareus R, van Loo G, Danese S, Huth M, Nikolaev A, Neufert C, Madison B, Gumucio D, Neurath MF, Pasparakis M (2007) Epithelial NEMO links innate immunity to chronic intestinal inflammation. Nature 446(7135): 557-561
Luedde T, Beraza N, Kotsikoris V, van Loo G, Nenci A, De Vos R, Roskams T, Trautwein C, Pasparakis M (2007) Deletion of NEMO/IKKgamma in liver parenchymal cells causes steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell 11(2): 119-132
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