Main Content
RP3
Elke Pogge von Strandmann: The role of HSP70-positive extracellular vesicles from tumor cells for the function of macrophages and NK cells within the ovarian cancer microenvironment
Elke Pogge will investigate to what extent EVs modulate NF-κB signaling in macrophages and NK cells in an HSP70-NF-κB-dependent manner thereby establishing an immune suppressive and tumor-promoting secretome. She will investigate the specific HSP70-TLR/RAGE-dependent NF-κB signaling pathways and their functional consequences in macrophages and NK cells. The association of components within the HSP70-TLR/RAGE-dependent NF-κB-induced secretome with tumor progression and survival of patients will be analyzed to identify potential therapeutic targets.
Both project RP2 and RP3 will interact with Lienhard Schmitz (RP4) who has an outstanding track record in the analysis of NF-κB. He will dissect and analyze the NF-κB activity and the NF-κB dependent secretome of ovarian cancer cells and associated immune cells using the 3D organotypic model described in RP2. Experimental tools to analyze the canonical, non-canonical and atypical NF-κB activation pathways at a single cell level are established. In parallel, the impact of pathway-specific NF-κB inhibitors on the secretome of tumor cells and associated immune cells will be measured by mass spectrometry.