Gunnar Nilsson

Mastocytosis is a disease in which a special type of immune cell, the mast cell, is altered. The mast cell is best known for being the cell that causes allergic problems. In systemic mastocytosis, the affected individuals are partly affected by the increased number of mast cells in one or more tissues, and partly they have a range of different symptoms from e.g. the gut or the skin due to the increased levels of substances, e.g. histamine, that these cells release out. Mastocytosis can appear in a number of different guises and can be difficult to diagnose for healthcare. There is currently no good treatment for systemic mastocytosis. In our research, we study the disease systemic mastocytosis with a number of different approaches. We analyze genetic changes that affect the growth and reactivity of mast cells, i.e. their ability to release different substances that affect different organs. We are looking for markers in blood and urine that can be used to understand what is wrong with the mast cells, or to be used for diagnosis and prognosis, or to monitor how effective a treatment is. We perform epidemiological studies to demonstrate whether patients with systemic mastocytosis have an increased risk of other forms of cancer (e.g. malignant melanoma or other leukaemias). Our long-term goal with the research is that the patients affected by systemic mastocytosis should receive good and adequate diagnostics and treatment for a life with a normal lifespan and with increased quality of life. Within the next three-year period, we hope that our analyzes of biomarkers will generate data that can be implemented in the near future in healthcare to better diagnose patients. We also hope that our research will provide new knowledge about the etiology of the disease and identify mechanisms for the hyperactive mast cell phenotype in systemic mastocytosis.

Mast cells are part of the body's defense system that intervenes to protect the body during, for example, injury or infection. These cells are also part of many tumors where in some cases they counteract the tumor, while in other cases they help the tumor to grow and spread. There is also a disease, systemic mastocytosis, where the mast cells are many more in the body and they release substances that cause different types of disorders, such as anaphylaxis, diarrhea, osteoporosis, skin changes. In the more severe forms of mastocytosis, organs may cease to function due to the large number of mast cells. In our research we study mast cells in systemic mastocytosis and in different types of tumors, lung cancer. In mastocytosis, the mast cell is altered, ie. It has various types of mutations in genes that regulate cell growth and function, while in lung cancer it is normal. By studying mast cells from individuals with systemic mastocytosis and lung cancer, we try to understand what causes the cells to be sick and cause the symptoms that are suffering from mastocytosis, or how they can help or counteract the tumor cells in lung cancer. With our research, we want to generate new knowledge about systemic mastocytosis and about how mast cells work in tumor development. However, we hope to be able to contribute to the development of new diagnostic markers and the development of therapies that will be helpful for those patients who suffer from systemic mastocytosis and other malignancies.

Mast cells are part of the body's defense system that intervenes to protect the body during, for example, injury or infection. These cells are also part of many tumors where in some cases they counteract the tumor, while in other cases they help the tumor to grow and spread. There is also a disease, systemic mastocytosis, where the mast cells are many more in the body and they release substances that cause different types of disorders, such as anaphylaxis, diarrhea, osteoporosis, skin changes. In the more severe forms of mastocytosis, organs may cease to function due to the large number of mast cells. In our research we study mast cells in systemic mastocytosis and in different types of tumors, lung cancer. In mastocytosis, the mast cell is altered, ie. It has various types of mutations in genes that regulate cell growth and function, while in lung cancer it is normal. By studying mast cells from individuals with systemic mastocytosis and lung cancer, we try to understand what causes the cells to be sick and cause the symptoms that are suffering from mastocytosis, or how they can help or counteract the tumor cells in lung cancer. With our research, we want to generate new knowledge about systemic mastocytosis and about how mast cells work in tumor development. However, we hope to be able to contribute to the development of new diagnostic markers and the development of therapies that will be helpful for those patients who suffer from systemic mastocytosis and other malignancies.