TP12: S100A8 and S100A9 proteins as therapeutical targets in experimental bullous pemphigoid

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) represents a severe autoimmune bullous disease associated with autoantibodies to hemidesmosomal proteins. A novel and innovative therapy could be the blockade of the proinflammatory proteins S100A8/A9, which have been shown to be involved in several chronic inflammatory processes like rheumatoid arthritis or Crohns disease.

S100A8/A9 is highly upregulated in lesional skin of experimental BP. By using S100A8/A9-deficient mice as well as immunological and pharmalogical inhibitors of S100 proteins and their receptors we will analyse (i) the principal role of S100A8/A9 in the pathogenesis of BP and (ii) their potential as therapeutical targets in the disease.

He received his Dr. rer. nat degree in 02/2015 and now works as a PostDoc in the AG Ludwig at the Lübecker Institute of experimental Dermatology (LIED).