English version

The main research topics of the Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research „Siniša Stanković“ are organ-specific autoimmune and immunoinflammatory disorders (diabetes type I and multiple sclerosis) and experimental oncology. Our research is predominantly conducted in animal models, but it also involves in vitro investigations, as well as samples obtained from human subjects.

 

Basic experimental models of Type I diabetes used in the Department are diabetes induced in inbred strains of mice and rats by multiple low doses of streptozotocin and spontaneous or accelerated diabetes in NOD mice. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Dark Agouti (DA) rats induced with central nervous system antigens, with or without adjuvant is used as an experimental model of multiple sclerosis. Rats of Albino Oxford (AO) strain, resistant to the induction of diabetes and EAE are also involved in the studies. The basic aim of our studies is the discovery of molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the initiation and the development of an autoimmune response in the diseases. Also, a possibility of pharmacological modulation of the autoimmune response is investigated. The exploration of the role of cytokines in the network of intracellular communication between cells of immune system and those of target tissues in autoimmunity is of special interest for our investigation. Discovery of the unbalanced production of a cytokine, a specific population responsible for the production or the modulation of the production of a cytokine, as well as of the reasons for and/or consequence of such imbalance is of importance for the understanding of autoimmunity and design of new or modification of already existing therapeutic approaches in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. To that extent, numerous techniques are applied in our Department in order to detect the source and level of expression and production of various pro- and anti- inflammatory cytokines, including macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and interleukin-17. Beside cytokines, the other bio-molecules that are relevant for the autoimmune reactions, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, signaling molecules and cell-phenotype markers are also included in our studies. Also, classical parameters of cell viability and proliferation are routinely measured in the Department.

 

Regarding experimental oncology, the investigations are mainly focused on the efficacy of natural or synthetic agents in the treatment of transformed and/or immortalized cell lines in vitro, or animal tumor models in vivo. The cells treated with a potential therapeutic are subjected to various tests for the investigation of induction, type and intensity of cell death, or determining differentiations in cell morphology or function. The molecular aspects of the observed changes are analyzed, with a special emphasis on the molecules involved in signal transduction pathways, cell-proliferation, differentiation or death. To that extent a number of techniques for measuring cell viability, discrimination between accidental or programmed cell death, as well as methods which define phenotypic and/or physiological characteristics of tumor cells as parameters of the cell differentiation are applied.