L. Claesson-Welsh - The role of edema in disease processes
Channel: Icgeb
Date: 2022-11-28

Lena CLAESSON-WELSH Dept Immunology, Genetics and Pathology,
Uppsala University, SWEDEN speaks on "The role of edema in disease processes".

Edema formation in acute and chronic diseases is accompanied by inflammation and disease progression. Edema may be protein-poor or protein-rich, in the latter case caused by extravasation of plasma proteins from the blood into tissues. Such protein-rich extravasation whether it is acute or chronic occurs through disintegration of endothelial adherens junctions. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and inflammatory cytokines both induce adherens junction disassembly by Src family kinase-mediated phosphorylation of Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin. We have created a range of genetic loss-of function mouse models in which extravasation of large molecules is suppressed. Using these, models, we have studied the role of VE-cadherin phosphorylation and adherens junction disintegration in a number of diseases including cancer, retinopathy and myocardial infarction. In all these cases, suppressed leakage is accompanied by a milder course of disease. This far, data indicate that inflammation is not affected by the suppressed edema. I will discuss the different impacts that the vascular barrier breakdown and edema may have on tissue interstitial pressure and architecture, lymphatic function and inflammation.