Research at the Moore Laboratory

The overall interest of the Moore Laboratory is to understand the role of the innate immune system in sterile inflammatory conditions and host defense. The innate immune system senses the presence of invading microorganisms and modified endogenous ligands by recognizing conserved molecular structures that are normally absent in the healthy host. Myeloid cells express classes of pattern recognition receptors, such as the scavenger receptors (SRs) and toll-like receptors (TLRs), that bind conserved “non-self” patterns to mediate this important function. Although often thought of as a broad, primitive defense mechanism, it is becoming increasingly clear that pattern recognition receptors can cooperate to precisely regulate signaling pathways essential for the proper initiation of innate and acquired immunity. However, the inappropriate activation of these receptors has also been linked to inflammatory syndromes, including atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Our ultimate aim is to further the understanding and prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases through interdisciplinary study of the molecular mechanisms regulating the initiation, promotion and resolution of macrophage inflammatory responses. We use a variety of approaches in our laboratory such as cellular and molecular biology, gene profiling analysis, gene targeting, and in vivo studies in mouse models of atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Target Areas of Research:

Inflammation of the cardiovascular system

• The signal transduction pathways central to macrophage inflammatory responses in atherosclerosis


• The role of guidance cues in the prevention and promotion of vascular inflammation


• The pathways that regulate cellular cholesterol metabolism (SRs, nuclear hormone receptors)

Inflammatory mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease

• The signal transduction pathways that promote microglial responses to β-amyloid fibrils
  (inflammation and amyloid clearance)
  
  

Funding sources

• National Institutes of Health


• American Heart Association


• American Health Assistance Foundation
  
  

The major collaborators of the Moore Lab are:

• Joseph B. El Khoury, Center for Immunology and Inflammatory diseases, MGH
• Lynda M. Stuart, Program of Developmental Immunology, MGH
• Douglas T. Golenbock, University of Massachusetts Medical Center