Apolipoprotein E controls Dectin-1-dependent development of monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages upon pulmonary β-glucan-induced inflammatory adaptation.

The lung is constantly exposed to the outside world and optimal adaptation of immune responses is crucial for efficient pathogen clearance. However, mechanisms that lead to lung-associated macrophages' functional and developmental adaptation remain elusive. To reveal such mechanisms, we developed a reductionist model of environmental intranasal β-glucan exposure, allowing for the detailed interrogation of molecular mechanisms of pulmonary macrophage adaptation.

Protease- and cell type-specific activation of protease-activated receptor 2 in cutaneous inflammation.

Background: Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) signaling controls skin barrier function and inflammation, but the roles of immune cells and PAR2-activating proteases in cutaneous diseases are poorly understood.

Objective: To dissect PAR2 signaling contributions to skin inflammation with new genetic and pharmacological tools.

Methods/results: We found markedly increased numbers of PAR2 infiltrating myeloid cells in skin lesions of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) patients and in the skin of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in mice, a murine ACD model for T cell-mediated allergic skin inflammation.

Intervention of Inflammatory Monocyte Activity Limits Dermal Fibrosis.

Monocytes and monocyte-derived cells are important players in the initiation, progression, and resolution of inflammatory skin reactions. As inflammation is a prerequisite for fibrosis development, we focused on the role of monocytes in cutaneous fibrosis, the clinical hallmark of patients suffering from systemic sclerosis. Investigating the function of monocytes in reactive oxygen species-induced dermal fibrosis, we observed that early monocyte depletion partially reduced disease severity.

Coherent beam combination of four holmium amplifiers with phase control via a direct digital synthesizer chip.

We present the coherent beam combination of four 2100 nm holmium amplifiers with their phase controlled through acousto-optic modulators driven by the RF output of direct digital synthesizer chips. Phase alignment was achieved through the use of a field programmable gate array based stochastic parallel gradient descent algorithm.