Complement factor H-related proteins and their role in pathogenesis
Complement factor H (FH) and FH-related (FHR) proteins are associated with systemic and organ-specific pathologies including impaired defense against infections and incurable renal, eye and autoimmune diseases. While the biological function of FH is well-defined, the function of the other six highly homologous FHR proteins is mostly unknown, as is their role in the disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms. The EU-funded SciFiMed project will study the FH family proteins' contributions in health and disease aiming to obtain proof-of-principle for a multiplex detection system to simultaneously quantify and analyse the functional activity of all seven proteins in patient samples. This high-impact project will enable new product developments and provide new perspectives for patient treatments.
Objective
This transdisciplinary project will combine fundamental immunological research with novel nanomaterial-based biosensor development translated into proof-of-principle diagnostics to revolutionize doctors’ ability to diagnose and treat severe diseases plaguing millions of Europeans.
Impaired defence against infections, incurable renal, eye and autoimmune diseases represent a huge burden on human health and consequently cost our society not only personal suffering but also hundreds of billions of Euros p.a.. All of these diseases share an association with a dysregulation of the complement system, a major effector of the innate immune system. There still is a huge discrepancy between what we know and what we need to know about the complement system’s role in these diseases in order to prevent, diagnose and treat them appropriately, effectively, and efficiently .
Complement factor H (FH) and FH-related (FHR) proteins are strongly associated with these systemic and organ-specific pathologies. In contrast to FH, the function of the remaining six highly homologous FHR proteins is mostly unknown and, hence, their role in the different disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms remain elusive.
Our EU consortium (8 partners from 4 countries) will unravel the mysteries of the FH-protein family’s contributions to diseases. Then, via an ambitious and transdisciplinary fundamental science-to-technology transfer, a proof-of-principle for a multiplex detection system will be developed to simultaneously quantify and analyse the functional activity of all seven FH-protein family members in patient samples – on site, putting diagnostic technology directly into physicians’ hands.
In the future, this high-impact project propels immunological research in Europe, enables new product development of bioanalytical companies, modernizes the EU-diagnostic market and provides new perspectives for patient treatment, which in turn will pave the way for novel approaches for drug development.
