Unravelling the role of Tarm1 in the pathogenesis of inflammatory gut and liver disorders

TARM-1 (T Cell-Interacting, Activating Receptor on Myeloid Cells 1) is a recently discovered receptor that belongs to the Leukocyte Receptor Complex(LRC) family. It is expressed predominantly by myeloid cells, specifically by macrophages and neutrophils. The role and function of this receptor in the regulation of the immune system in inflammatory conditions is largely unknown.

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) are chronic immune-related disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Previous studies have shown that neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of IBD. We have found increased intestinal expression levels of TARM-1 in murine acute and chronic colitis models, as well as in intestinal samples of IBD patients.

We have developed conditional transgenic TARM-1 deficient mice to study its cell specific biology in intestinal inflammation and other inflammatory disorders.