Chemokine Biology Group
The broad aim of the Chemokine Biology Group is to apply the growing understanding of the role of chemokines and their receptors in leucocyte trafficking to the pathogenesis of human inflammatory diseases. In particular, the Group is focused on chemokine regulation of T lymphocyte traffic to the lamina propria of the gut in the context of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to the liver in chronic hepatitis C infection. In relation to IBD, the group has established a unique murine model of appendicitis to explore the mechanisms underlying the observation that appendicectomy protects against development of IBD. In particular, the role of regulatory T cells is being examined. Other regulatory molecules on the surface of intestinal lymphocytes are being examined also. In relation to chronic hepatitis C (HCV) the group is utilising laser capture micro-dissection of liver tissue samples and other cellular and molecular immunology techniques to identify migration pathways that lead to localisation of anti-hepatitis C effector T cells in proximity to virally-infected hepatocytes. The studies include comparison of the liver in patients co-infected with HIV and HCV and those with HCV infection alone. The research is funded by project grants from NHMRC.
Researchers
A/Professor Michael Grimm
Professor Andrew Lloyd
Dr Amany Zekry
Watson Ng, PhD student
Nam Nguyen, PhD student
Greta Lee, PhD student
Selected Publications
Davenport MP,
Grimm MC,
Lloyd AR. A homing selection hypothesis for T cell trafficking.
Immunology Today 2000; 21: 315-317.
Grimm, MC; Newman, R; Hassim, Z; Cuan, N; Connor, SJ; Le, YY; Wang, J Oppenheim, JJ;
Lloyd, AR. Cutting edge: Vasoactive intestinal peptide acts as a potent suppressor of inflammation in vivo by trans-deactivating chemokine receptors
J Immunol, 2003; 171: 4990-4994.
Harvey CE. Post JJ. Palladinetti P. Freeman AJ. Ffrench RA. Kumar RK. Marinos G.
Lloyd AR. Expression of the chemokine IP-10 (CXCL10) by hepatocytes in chronic hepatitis C virus infection correlates with histological severity and lobular inflammation.
J Leuk Biol. 2003; 74:360-9.
Connor SJ. Paraskevopoulos N. Newman R. Cuan N. Hampartzoumian T.
Lloyd AR.
Grimm MC. CCR2 expressing CD4+ T lymphocytes are preferentially recruited to the ileum in Crohn's disease.
Gut. 2004; 53:1287-94.
Newman R, Cuan N, Hampartzoumian T, Connor SJ,
Lloyd AR,
Grimm MC. Vasoactive intestinal peptide impairs leucocyte migration but fails to modify experimental murine colitis.
Clin. Exp. Immunol. 2005;139:411-420
Ng WSW, Hampartzoumian T,
Lloyd AR,
Grimm MC. A murine model of appendicitis and the impact of inflammation on appendiceal lymphocyte constituents. Clin. Exp. Immunol. 2007;150:169-178