Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-mediated diseases

Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-mediated diseases was established from the Lupus Research Unit, which has been conducting research work since 2005 by an expert team who are interested in lupus. The team is multidisciplinary, includingspecialists in immunology, nephrology, dermatology, genetics, molecular biology and clinical pharmacology. In addition, it is a multi-center collaboration between the Faculties of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University and Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, the latter being the source of patients with symptoms in various systems.

Focus Areas

At present, the center also extends its research to other diseases that have an immune- mediated pathogenesis and are health problems in the country. These include psoriasis, which is the most common chronic skin disorder caused by self-antisera and may have severe effects on other organs as well. Chronic hepatitis, which leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer, is also a major problem in the Thai population, where the main pathogenesis is not caused by direct viral destruction, but rather by an abnormal immune response. Infectious disease in the bloodstream (sepsis) is another major cause of death in patients with severe immune responses. In addition, the immune system is an important pathogenesis for cell and organ transplantation, which is the ultimate treatment of many chronic diseases today.

The center specializes in finding biomarkers for early disease diagnosis, to predict the severity and complications of the disease, and to predict the response to treatment based on molecular biology and immunology technologies. The primary objective is to develop an accurate and personalized patient diagnosis and treatment, or personalized therapy. Moreover, a greater understanding of the mechanism of disease will lead to the development of new therapies as well as future prevention of disease.

Publications National & International

• Cannizzaro L, Rossoni G, Savi F, Altomare A, Marinello C, Saethang T, Carini M, Payne DM, Pisitkun T, Aldini G, Leelahavanichkul A. Regulatory landscape of AGE-RAGE- oxidative stress axis and its modulation by PPARγ activation in high fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2017 Jan 13;14:5.
• Surawut S, Ondee T, Taratummarat S, Palaga T, Pisitkun P, Chindamporn A, Leelahavanichkul A. The role of macrophages in the susceptibility of Fc gamma receptor IIb deficient mice to Cryptococcus neoformans. Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 11;7:40006.
• Panich T, Chancharoenthana W, Somparn P, Issara-Amphorn J, Hirankarn N, Leelahavanichkul A. Urinary exosomal activating transcriptional factor 3 as the early diagnostic biomarker for sepsis-induced acute kidney injury. BMC Nephrol. 2017 Jan 7;18(1):10.
• Ondee T, Surawut S, Taratummarat S, Hirankan N, Palaga T, Pisitkun P, Pisitkun T, Leelahavanichkul A. FC Gamma Receptor IIB Deficient Mice: A Lupus Model with Increased Endotoxin Tolerance-Related Sepsis Susceptibility. Shock. 2016 Nov 15. [Epub ahead of print]
• Leelahavanichkul A, Worasilchai N, Wannalerdsakun S, Jutivorakool K, Somparn P, Issara-Amphorn J, Tachaboon S, Srisawat N, Finkelman M, Chindamporn A. Gastrointestinal Leakage Detected by Serum (1→3)-β-D- Glucan in Mouse Models and a Pilot Study in Patients with Sepsis. Shock. 2016 Nov;46(5):506-518.
• Kunanopparat A, Kimkong I, Palaga T, Tangkijvanich P, Sirichindakul B, Hirankarn N. Increased ATG5-ATG12 in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma and their role in apoptosis. World J Gastroenterol. 2016 Oct 7;22(37):8361-8374.
• Leelahavanichkul A, Panpetch W, Worasilchai N, Somparn P, Chancharoenthana W, Nilgate S, Finkelman M, Chindamporn A, Tumwasorn S. Evaluation of gastrointestinal leakage using serum (1→3)-β-D- glucan in a Clostridium difficile murine model. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2016 Sep;363(18).
• Khanuntong S, Kuptawintu P, Upaisilpsathaporn K, Poolchareon A, Bunworasate U, Hirankarn N. The effect of missing KIR ligands, activating KIR genotype and haplotype on the outcome of T-cell- replete hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from HLA-identical siblings in Thai patients. HLA. 2016 Jun;87(6):422-31.
• Vadcharavivad S, Praisuwan S, Techawathanawanna N, Treyaprasert W, Avihingsanon Y. Population pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus in Thai kidney transplant patients: comparison with similar data from other populations. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2016 Jun;41(3):310-28.
• Yüksel Ş, Kucukazman SO, Karataş GS, Ozturk MA, Prombhul S, Hirankarn N. Methylation Status of Alu and LINE-1 Interspersed Repetitive Sequences in Behcet's Disease Patients. Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:1393089.
• Thipmanee O, Numnuam A, Limbut W, Buranachai C, Kanatharana P, Vilaivan T, Hirankarn N, Thavarungkul P. Enhancing capacitive DNA biosensor performance by target overhang with application on screening test of HLA-B*58:01 and HLA-B*57:01 genes. Biosens Bioelectron. 2016 Aug 15;82:99-104.
• Kupatawintu P, Tatawatorn A, Premasathian N, Avihingsanon Y, Leelahavanichkul A, Hirankarn N. Association between flow cytometric crossmatching and graft survival in Thai cadaveric-donor kidney transplantation. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2016 Mar;34(1):86-93.
• Kunanopparat A, Hirankarn N, Kittigul C, Tangkijvanich P, Kimkong I. Autophagy machinery impaired interferon signalling pathways to benefit hepatitis B virus replication. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2016 Mar;34(1):77-85.
• Leelahavanichkul A, Somparn P, Issara-Amphorn J, Eiam-ong S, Avihingsanon Y, Hirankarn N, Srisawat N. Serum Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) Outperforms Serum Creatinine in Detecting Sepsis- Induced Acute Kidney Injury, Experiments on Bilateral Nephrectomy and Bilateral Ureter Obstruction Mouse Models. Shock. 2016 May;45(5):570-6.
• Anutrakulchai S, Panaput T, Wongchinsri J, Chaishayanon S, Satirapoj B, Traitanon O, Pima W, Rukrung C, Thinkhamrop B, Avihingsanon Y. A multicentre, randomised controlled study of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium for the treatment of relapsed or resistant proliferative lupus nephritis: an Asian experience. Lupus Sci Med. 2016 Jan 14;3(1):e000120.
• Kongkavitoon P, Tangkijvanich P, Hirankarn N, Palaga T. Hepatitis B Virus HBx Activates Notch Signaling via Delta-Like 4/Notch1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. PLoS One. 2016 Jan 14;11(1):e0146696.
• Leelahavanichkul A, Pongpirul K, Thongbor N, Worasilchai N, Petphuak K, Thongsawang B, Towannang P, Lorvinitnun P, Sukhontasing K, Katavetin P, Praditpornsilpa K, Eiam-Ong S, Chindamporn A, Kanjanabuch T.(1→3)-β-d- Glucan and Galactomannan for Differentiating Chemical "Black Particles" and Fungal Particles Inside Peritoneal Dialysis Tubing. Perit Dial Int. 2016 Jul-Aug;36(4):402- 9.
• Tantivitayakul P, Benjachat T, Somparn P, Leelahavanichkul A, Kittikovit V, Hirankarn N, Pisitkun T, Avihingsanon Y. Elevated expressions of myeloid-related proteins-8 and -14 are danger biomarkers for lupus nephritis. Lupus. 2016 Jan;25(1):38-45.

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