→ Emerging line: Neuroimmune Modulation of Nociception and Tissue Function

Emerging Line of the group: “Sensory transduction and nociception”

Nociceptors are specialised sensory neurons that serve as key elements of the body’s defence. To this end, these neurons extend projections throughout the body to monitor the environment and detect potentially noxious stimuli. Our group focuses on understanding their role as integrative defensive entities, with particular interest in their ongoing interactions with other host defence elements, including the immune system (especially mast cells), mucosal tissues, and the skin. We have ample experience in the gut, but we are interested also in other organs.

Upon activation, nociceptors convey information about threatening or harmful stimuli to the central nervous system. This process, known as nociception, is often translated into pain signals and is essential for the survival and wellbeing of virtually all animals. Mast cells, in turn, are tissue-resident immune cells involved in numerous physiological functions, including the regulation of blood flow, coagulation, wound healing, maintenance of tissue homeostasis, and defence against pathogens. Like nociceptors, mast cells continuously monitor their local microenvironment and detect danger signals. Their close proximity to nerve fibres enables direct bidirectional communication. The synergistic nociceptor-mast cell interaction plays a key role in modulating pain signalling over time. In this context, mast cells may act as ‘signal converters’, linking immunological and tissue states to neuronal activity and influencing local tissue responses.

On the other hand, beyond their classical sensory role, nociceptors also respond to noxious cues by releasing bioactive mediators – neurotransmitters and neuropeptides – to their vicinity, thus highlighting an additional specialised role in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Indeed, axon reflexes can signal to peripheral tissues and modulate the function of surrounding cells, including immune and epithelial populations.

In our lab, we aim to investigate these processes in both physiological and pathophysiological contexts, with a particular emphasis on the neuroimmune interface. By combining molecular, physiological, and behavioural approaches, we aim to understand how the dynamic interactions between nociceptors and other host defence systems shape tissue homeostasis, inflammation, and the transition from protective to pathological pain.