Annexins in the regulation of allergic responses
The understanding of the molecular mechanisms important in cellular proliferation during inflammatory, autoimmune and neoplastic disease is essential in the development of rational approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, it is critical to identify genes and proteins that could be dysregulated in these diseases. My lab is interested in the functions of a particular endogenous anti-inflammatory protein, annexin-1 (ANX-1).
ANX-1 is mostly recognised as the anti-inflammatory endogenous protein involved in the multiple actions of glucocorticoid steroids. Glucocorticoids are used very widely in the treatment of allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, dermatitis and asthma. A loss of ANX-1 expression leads to GC insensitivity and exacerbation of inflammation. However, the role of ANX-1 in allergy is not clear. We have some very interesting results with the ANX-1 deficient mice which clearly demonstrate that loss of ANX-1 results in a higher and more pronounced allergic response. The mechanisms behind the negative regulation of allergic sensitization by ANX-1 will be studied.
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