Fibrosis arises when dying tissues are replaced by connective proteins during tissue repair. The immune system plays an important role in the removal of connective proteins during repair and maintenance of tissues in the body. Malfunction or death of immune cells can result in accumulation of connective proteins that leads to fibrosis. Many diseases, including cancers, diabetes and others involving tissue fibrosis are caused or made worse by either malfunction or death of immune cells. Unfortunately, there are currently no effective treatments for tissue fibrosis.

The past few decades have brought great advances to our understanding of the immune system. However, despite these advances, much is still unknown about how immune cells communicate and perform their operations. The goal of this study is to further our understanding of how adenosine receptors are involved in immune cell communication in particular signals that result control the activation and death of immune cells. We will use molecular technique and bioinformatics to discover new pathways through which immune cells communicate and function. The findings from this study will provide new avenues that will allow us to manipulate immune cells to better manage and potentially cure tissue fibrosis.

Panel Writeup

The impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

The prevalence of NAFLD is estimated to be 30 per cent of adults in Canada. Approximately 15 to 20 per cent of patients with NAFLD progress to more serious liver disease that includes fibrosis called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH fibrosis arises when dying tissues are replaced by connective proteins during tissue repair. Unfortunately, there are currently no effective treatments for liver fibrosis and 6800 Canadians develop liver failure each year. Current modelling estimates that the number of deaths attributed to NASH will double in ten years.