Dr. Alex Hopke was a contributing author for three recent publications. One of the publications was not only selected for the cover of JCI:Insight, the featured images are specifically from his neutrophil swarming experiments that he contributed to the research. The image, shown at right, is a stylized version of neutrophil swarming toward A. fumigatus.
The featured article, "BTK inhibitor-induced defects in human neutrophil effector activity against Aspergillus fumigatus are restored by TNF-α," was published in JCI: Insight's Volume 9, Issue 12. Ibrutnib is a preferred treatment for B cell malignancies; however, patients receiving this treatment are more susceptible to invasive fungal infections. The research points to an impaired ability of neutrophils to fight A. fumigatus during treatment that inhibits Bruton's tyrosine kinase, but also revealed TNF-α's ability to recover neutrophil efficacy.
The second article, "Self-extinguishing relay waves enable homeostatic control of human neutrophil swarming, " was published in Developmental Cell in July, 2024. This research characterized and modeled some of the early signaling events by which neutrophils organize swarming behavior.
"Albumin reprograms the B cell transcriptional landscape and improves neutrophil antimicrobial function in patients with decompensated cirrhosis," was published in JHEP Reports in August, 2024. The article describes the study that "investigated the immunomodulatory actions of albumin by which this protein may lower the incidence of infections in patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis."
Links to the complete publications with full author information are found below this article.
Dr. Hopke is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine. He is a member of the Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Immunity.
| “BTK inhibitor–induced defects in human neutrophil effector activity against Aspergillus fumigatus are restored by TNF-α” | Click Here |
| “Albumin Reprograms the B cell Transcriptional Landscape and Improves Neutrophil Antimicrobial Function in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis” | Click Here |
| “Self-extinguishing relay waves enable homeostatic control of human neutrophil swarming” | Click Here |