Yaneli Guerra
Mentor: Derek Peters, M.D., Ph.D
PI: Yarui Diao
Cellular response mediates the production of macrophages as early infiltrates following muscle injury. M1 inflammatory type macrophages react initially, followed by regenerative M2 macrophages which reduce inflammation, breakdown cell debris, and promote healing. The change in macrophage phenotype appears to be mediated by the TREM 2 gene which induces the M2 macrophage. A delay in the transition impairs myogenesis, demonstrating the importance of this precisely timed phenotypic switch. My project attempts to analyze the effect of the TREM 2 gene on macrophage polarization and the role it plays in regeneration. After knocking out the TREM2 gene in mice models and collecting muscle tissue samples, we perform a qrt-pcr using known marker genes of the M1/M2 macrophages. Levels of gene expression in the samples allow us to better understand the turnover (up/down regulation) of the macrophages and whether or not that is a consequence of the TREM2 knockout. Additionally, we perform H&E and immunostaining on muscle tissue to better visualize regenerating fibers as well as detect embryonic myosin, a known marker of regeneration. By better understanding the process of macrophage polarization, we can potentially induce gene expression of TREM2 to drive regeneration and develop new therapeutic strategies.
