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Claude Libert
Molecular Mouse Genetics
VIB Department for Molecular Biomedical Research, UGent
PhD: Univ. of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium, '93
Postdoc: Istituto di Ricerche di Biologia Molecolare, Rome, Italy
VIB Group leader since 1997 |
e-mail
phone +32 9 331 37 00
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Current team members
Group leader: Claude Libert
Postdoctoral scientists: Chitty Chen, Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke, Valerie Vanhooren
Ph.D. Students: Eline Dejonckheere, Filip Van Hauwermeiren, Iris Pinheiro, Leen Puimège, Lien Dejager, Sofie Vandevyver
Support personnel: Joke Vanden Berghe, Sylviane Dewaele
Keywords
cytokines and anticancer therapy - MMP - gene mapping and cloning - mouse models of inflammation - TNF
Science
The inflammatory response is a fundamentally protective, complex and well conserved mechanism. It is actively involved in the induction of immune responses, e.g. against bacterial infection. Several key molecules in inflammation are normally kept under strict control. When this control fails, cytokines such as TNF, interleukins and interferons can cause extensive damage, leading to conditions such as chronic inflammation, sepsis or shock. We are interested in understanding the biology of these cytokines and their control mechanisms, and in evaluating their therapeutic potential. One particular animal model that is proving useful in our research is the SPRET/Ei mouse, an inbred strain derived from Mus spretus. We also focus on the protective power of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and we are also identifying other potentially protective molecules and studying them in mice. Among these are the members of the family of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which contribute to the development of inflammation. We are studying these molecules in the context of inflammation and infectious diseases. We also focus on a limited set of cytokines (IL17 and IFNs) and specific cells (e.g. Paneth cells) in acute inflammation.
In another vein, healthy aging is closely linked to avoidance of inflammation processes. We have developed a simple and sensitive method to determine health status during aging based on glycoprofiling of total serum proteins, and we are now using this system to understand the mechanism by which inflammation influences the aging process.
Selected Publications
Libert C, Dejager L, Pinheiro I
The X chromosome in immune functions: when a chromosome makes the difference
NAT REV IMMUNOL 10, 594-604, 2010
Huys L, Van Hauwermeiren F, Dejager L, Dejonckheere E, Lienenklaus S, Weiss S, Leclercq G, Libert C
Type I interferon drives tumor necrosis factor-induced lethal shock
J EXP MED 206, 1873-82, 2009
Takahashi N, Vanlaere I, De Rycke R, Cauwels A, Joosten L, Lubberts E, Van Den Berg W, Libert C
IL-17 produced by Paneth cells drives TNF-induced shock
J EXP MED 205, 1755-61, 2008
Van Molle W, Wielockx B, Mahieu T, Takada M, Taniguchi T, Sekikawa K, Libert C
HSP70 protects against TNF-induced lethal inflammatory shock
IMMUNITY 16, 685-695, 2002
Wielockx B, Lannoy K, Shapiro S, Itoh T, Itohara S, Vandekerckhove J, Libert C
Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases blocks lethal hepatitis and apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor and allows safe antitumor therapy
NAT MED 7, 1202-1208, 2001
Search Publications
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