Grant: Operating Grant

A new hereditary syndrome called hypercalprotectinaemia has been recently described. It is characterised by the extremely high concentration of a protein called calprotectin in the serum. Patients with this syndrome suffer from anemia, diffuse joint pain and frequent infections. Works from our laboratories indicate that calprotectin participates in the development of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn disease. Preliminary results indicate that hypercalprotectinaemia is not due to the overproduction of calprotectin, but rather to its hypersecretion. Sadly, we know very little of the mechanism of secretion of calprotectin. This research project is aimed at investigating the mechanism of secretion of calprotectin. We will compare the mechanism of secretion of calprotectin to that of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta, two cytokines presumed to be secreted via similar alternative secretion pathways. Results from these studies will provide clues as to the cause of hypercalprotectinaemia. They will also indicate new ways to target calprotectin which could benefit people living with autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.